ARC Raiders Update 1.7.0, titled Cold Snap, arrived on December 16, 2025. It added a dangerous winter map condition, launched the time-limited Flickering Flames event, introduced quests and items, and changed progression, weapons, maps and interface options. Flickering Flames ran through January 13, 2026, so its event dates are now historical.
What was new in ARC Raiders Update 1.7.0?
Embark Studios’ December 16, 2025 patch notes introduced four headline additions: the Cold Snap map condition, Flickering Flames, new quests and items, and the announcement of a free Raider Deck called Goalie. The update also added a skill-tree reset, an Aim Down Sights toggle, Raider Tool customization, and a visible Cred soft cap. Read Embark’s Update 1.7.0 patch notes.
Cold Snap changed the risks of being caught outside; Flickering Flames added a temporary collection and progression event. The controls, progression, balance and map changes were patch additions rather than part of the event schedule.
How did the Cold Snap map condition work?
Cold Snap brought freezing weather that affected movement, visibility and survival. Frozen water made footing unsteady, while compromised vision made it harder to see clearly. Exposure also carried a frostbite risk: Embark warned that the cold could kill a Raider in minutes unless they got indoors or healed quickly.
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That made shelter and time part of the encounter. A Raider pinned in the open had to weigh fighting against moving to safety; the cold was an active survival threat, not just a change in scenery. Embark’s December update preview describes the condition and its hazards.
What was Flickering Flames, and when did it end?
Flickering Flames was Speranza’s winter festival and resource-drive event. It ran from December 16, 2025 through January 13, 2026; it is not an ongoing event now. Players collected Candleberries and special items for Candleberry Banquets, while Merits could also be earned by gaining XP topside.
The event’s reward categories included Raider Tokens, items, rare utility items, weapons, cosmetics and Merits. The official preview describes these categories but does not provide a complete reward-by-reward list in the material cited here.
What permanent progression and interface changes did the patch add?
Skill-tree resets and Cred
Players could reset their skill tree for 2,000 Coins per skill point. The wallet also began showing the Cred soft cap, which the patch notes set at 800. Embark said the cap was intended to stop players from banking enough Cred to fully unlock new Raider Decks, and that previously accumulated Cred would not be removed.
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An Aim Down Sights toggle was added, alongside Raider Tool customization. These options let players change how aiming behaves and personalize their tool setup.
Menus and graphics
The update added an in-game live-events carousel and a main-menu carousel with quests and a Raider Deck shortcut. It also introduced a Cinematic graphics setting aimed at high-end PCs and a slider to adjust motion-blur intensity.
Which weapons and ARC enemy changed?
Bettina
The Bettina received a durability and handling adjustment. Embark’s patch notes reduced its durability burn per shot from approximately 0.43% to approximately 0.17%, increased its base magazine from 20 to 22 rounds, and reduced its base reload time from 5 to 4.5 seconds. The notes estimated that depletion would take about 12 full magazines before the change and 26 afterward, accounting for the larger magazine.
Rattler
The Rattler’s base magazine size increased from 10 to 12 rounds.
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The Shredder received several changes: knockback, movement and turning responsiveness, head health, navigation, speed when entering combat, and destructible parts were adjusted. The cited patch notes do not give a single numeric summary for these changes.
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What changed on maps, in quests and in blueprint drops?
Update 1.7.0 addressed terrain, collision and geometry issues and changed how Security Lockers appeared: they became dynamically spawned across all maps. Map-specific adjustments included the Matriarch’s spawn location on Dam Battlegrounds, changes to Blue Gate, and increased item and blueprint spawn rates on Stella Montis.
The Aphelion blueprint’s drop location moved from the Matriarch to Stella Montis, and some blueprint spawn locations were expanded. Quest usability also improved: icons were added for quest or tracked ground pickups, with clearer interaction and objective markers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did Hotfix 1.7.2 fix?
Embark published Hotfix 1.7.2 on December 18, 2025, two days after Update 1.7.0. It added missing volumes so interior areas would not deal cold damage during Cold Snap and fixed an issue that prevented the Unexpected Initiative quest items from spawning. These were follow-up corrections, not changes listed as part of the original December 16 patch.
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The hotfix also re-enabled Hidden Bunker and slightly lowered blueprint drop rates, while Embark said those rates remained higher overall than they had been before Update 1.7.0. See Embark’s Hotfix 1.7.2 notes.
What happened to the Goalie Raider Deck?
Update 1.7.0 announced Goalie as the second free, permanent Raider Deck, with availability planned for December 26, 2025. Embark’s preview said players could earn Cred topside to unlock items, Raider Tokens and cosmetics. Its featured outfit was hockey-themed and included a hockey-stick Raider Tool. That planned release date is in the past; the cited announcement does not establish the Deck’s present availability.
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