ARC Raiders Escalation Roadmap 2026: January to April Breakdown
John Drake - Jan 24, 2026 | PC/Console
Embark Studios kicked off the new year with a bang, unveiling the "Escalation" roadmap for ARC Raiders on January 23.
This marks the extraction shooter's first full year since its October 2025 launch, promising monthly major updates to keep Raiders scavenging the Rustbelt amid rising ARC threats and extreme weather.

The roadmap, shared via the official site and X, teases a steady drip of content: new enemies (ARCs), map conditions, player projects (limited-time events offering free cosmetics), Raider Decks (battle pass-style progression), Expedition Windows (progress wipes for exclusive rewards), and more. Across all months, expect new quests, feats, trials, events, gameplay items, cosmetics, and quality-of-life tweaks.
The narrative hook? The Cold Snap may be over, but its chill lingers. Extreme weather persists, ARC numbers surge, and the Rustbelt grows more volatile. "Lock your loadout," warns the team—the escalation's full scale is unknown.
Monthly Breakdown
Here's everything revealed, month by month, based on the official infographic:
| Month | Theme | Highlights |
|---|
| January | Headwinds | - New matchmaking option for Level 40+ players (PvE/PvP lobbies, possibly gear-value gated for high-stakes runs)
- New minor map condition (bird icon; speculated as wind affecting throwables or position-revealing flocks)
- New Player Project (event with free cosmetics)
|
| February | Shrouded Sky | - New map condition (wind icon)
- New ARC threat
- New Player Project
- New Raider Deck (third battle pass for cosmetics/items like Snap Hooks, grenades)
- Map update (tweaks to existing areas)
- Expedition Window (progress reset for rewards)
|
| March | Flashpoint | - New map condition (lightning bolt icon)
- New ARC threat
- New Player Project
- Scrappy update (buffs for the rooster companion—higher resource cap? New hats?)
|
| April | Riven Tides | - New map (fifth overall; beach/shore theme with umbrella icon, sandy art, potential tide mechanics)
- New large ARC (boss-level, like Matriarch/Queen)
- New map condition (storm cloud icon)
- Expedition Window
|
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