ARC Raiders recently got a new roadmap, outlining what Embark Studios is planning to add to the game over the next few months.
The first update to drop is Headwinds, which is set to bring a new queue, map conditions, and more to ARC Raiders.
So, here’s everything you should know about it.
Everything we know about the ARC Raiders Headwinds update
ARC Raiders‘ recently unveiled roadmap projected several major updates to come between January and April, including a new map at the end of this first cycle for 2026. However, the first update is Headwinds, which has been confirmed to come out on Jan. 27, or two days from this article.
As for what it’ll entail, details are still scarce, though here’s what we could deduce from both the roadmap and some promotional material shared by Embark Studios:
- It’ll introduce a new matchmaking option that’ll allow players level 40 and above to queue separately from the rest of the community. This’ll foster high-level play and keep it in its own league, with lower-leveled players of more casual leanings playing in their own tier.
- A new map condition that’ll probably be themed around sandstorms and deserts, possibly bringing Buried City vibes to the rest of the game’s maps. It could also be exclusive to the desert maps, i.e. Spaceport and Buried City, adding variety and thematic depth to already rich environments.
- A new “player project” similar to the Expeditions and the Flickering Flames event. It’ll require you to bring in specific loot and complete various tasks in exchange for major rewards upon completion. If we’re to take the above into account, the event will possibly be tied to the Buried City and Spaceport maps, though it could take place across the entire game.
Embark Studios loves being hush-hush about what exactly it brings into the game with its updates, and so we’ll have to hold on until Jan. 27 when the Headwinds update finally drops and unveils to us what it is that it’s bringing along.
