Winter Survival Meets Extraction Chaos
Arc Raiders launched its first major seasonal event this week, and it’s not messing around. The Flickering Flames winter event went live on December 16, introducing the Cold Snap map condition that fundamentally changes how you play the game. Forget worrying only about enemy players and ARC robots. Now you’re fighting the weather itself, with freezing temperatures that will kill you in minutes if you don’t find shelter.
The Cold Snap condition affects four maps: Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and The Blue Gate. Heavy snowfall reduces visibility to almost nothing, frozen lakes create new traversal routes, and staying outside too long causes frostbite that slowly drains your health. The clock is literally ticking every second you’re exposed to the elements, turning every raid into a high-stakes survival run where environmental hazards rival the danger from other players.
This arrives at the perfect time for Arc Raiders. The game has been an unexpected phenomenon since launching on October 30, selling over 4 million copies and consistently ranking as one of Steam’s most-played games. Players peaked at over 480,000 concurrent users on Steam alone. The Flickering Flames event gives that massive player base something fresh to tackle while Embark Studios proves they’re committed to long-term support.
How Cold Snap Changes Everything
The survival mechanics aren’t just cosmetic weather effects. Exposure to extreme cold causes actual frostbite damage that eats away at your health bar continuously. You can’t just power through it with healing items either, because you’ll burn through your entire medical supply before reaching extraction. The only real solution is finding indoor shelter periodically to warm up and stop the damage.
This creates entirely new tactical considerations. Do you push through that open field quickly and risk freezing, or take the longer route through buildings? If you’re pinned down outside during a firefight, you’re now fighting two battles simultaneously. Enemy players know this too, which makes camping near shelter locations a viable strategy. Indoor areas that were previously ignored become critical chokepoints worth fighting over.
The reduced visibility from snowfall adds another layer of chaos. You can’t spot enemies from distance like normal, forcing closer-range encounters. But the snow also works both ways, giving you cover to slip past threats you’d normally have to fight. Footprints in the snow create tracking opportunities, meaning stealth becomes harder but pursuing wounded enemies gets easier.
What Cold Snap Adds
- Snowfall map condition across four existing maps with reduced visibility
- Frostbite mechanic that continuously damages players exposed to cold
- Frozen lakes creating new traversal paths and tactical options
- Footprint tracking system letting players follow others through snow
- Shelter requirement forcing players to seek indoor locations periodically
- Enhanced loot rewards to compensate for increased danger
The Flickering Flames Event Rewards
Beyond the map condition changes, Flickering Flames functions as a 25-level reward track that everyone who owns the game can progress through automatically. You earn Merits by gaining XP during raids, and those Merits unlock rewards when you return to Speranza. No separate purchase required, no battle pass nonsense. Just play the game and collect your stuff.
The rewards include new gear customization options, cosmetic items, and Raider Tokens, which is Arc Raiders’ premium currency. You need to complete five rounds to activate the event, but after that it’s pure progression through playing normally. The event runs from December 16 through January 13, giving players nearly a month to clear all 25 levels without feeling rushed.
There’s also the Candleberry Banquet winter project happening in Speranza. This community-driven initiative rewards players for contributing resources and completing objectives collectively. The more the player base participates, the better the rewards everyone receives. It’s the kind of cooperative meta-activity that strengthens community bonds and gives solo players a reason to care about the bigger picture.
The Goalie Raider Deck
On December 26, Arc Raiders drops its second free Raider Deck called Goalie. Like the previous deck, this is completely free for all players and never expires. You progress through it using Cred, the in-game currency you earn naturally by playing. No real money required, no time pressure, no FOMO mechanics.
The Goalie deck leans hard into the hockey theme, which somehow fits perfectly with the winter event. The flagship reward is the Goalie Outfit, a full armor set inspired by hockey gear that comes with multiple variants. You also unlock a hockey stick-styled Raider Tool, giving one of your utility slots a distinct winter sports identity that’s equal parts functional and absurd.
Beyond the hockey aesthetics, the deck includes Raider Tokens at various progression points, weapon unlocks tailored for close-quarters combat in reduced visibility, and rare utility items that provide advantages in harsh weather conditions. The whole deck revolves around a single cohesive theme rather than random cosmetic clutter, which makes progression feel more rewarding.
Goalie Raider Deck Highlights
- Free for all players, unlocked December 26
- Hockey-inspired Goalie Outfit armor set with multiple variants
- Hockey stick Raider Tool for utility slot customization
- Raider Tokens for purchasing other cosmetics and items
- New weapons optimized for Cold Snap conditions
- Rare consumables and utility gear for survival advantages
- Progresses using Cred earned through normal gameplay
The First Expedition Window
Running December 17 through December 23, the first Expedition window lets players voluntarily reset their character progression in exchange for permanent rewards. This is Arc Raiders’ version of a prestige system, where you send your current raider away and start fresh while keeping certain bonuses that carry forward.
Here’s what you lose: blueprints, levels, quest progress, upgrades, and standard credits. Basically everything you’ve worked for gets wiped. Here’s what you gain permanently: up to 5 skill points, 12 additional stash spaces, a special Expedition icon showing you’ve done this, the Janitor Cap cosmetic for Scrappy, and the Patchwork Raider outfit. You also get temporary bonuses including 6 percent more Scrappy materials and other progression boosts.
The smart detail is that Cred, which you use for Raider Decks, isn’t affected by the Expedition reset. Players who’ve been stockpiling Cred can immediately start unlocking Goalie deck rewards even after wiping their character. This lets dedicated players experience the prestige system without completely starting from zero.
Why Arc Raiders Is Crushing It
The success of Arc Raiders shouldn’t be surprising given Embark Studios’ pedigree. This is the same team behind The Finals, another multiplayer success story. But Arc Raiders differentiated itself by launching as a premium title rather than free-to-play, charging $40 upfront and avoiding aggressive monetization that plagues most live-service games.
That decision paid off spectacularly. The game sold 2.5 million copies in its first week alone, generating over $100 million in revenue. By mid-November it had reached 4 million sales, becoming Nexon’s best release ever. More importantly, it maintained momentum, consistently staying in Steam’s top five most-played games throughout November and December.
Player reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Steam reviews sitting around 90 percent positive. GameSpot gave it a 9 out of 10, calling it an extraction shooter unlike any other and a totally unpredictable story generator directed by the community. That last part is key. Arc Raiders succeeds because it creates emergent moments through player interactions rather than scripted events.
Smart Approach to Live Service
What sets Arc Raiders apart from failed live-service games is how Embark approaches post-launch support. The Cold Snap update and Flickering Flames event arrived less than seven weeks after launch, showing the team can deliver substantial content quickly. The North Line update in November added new areas and enemies. Now Cold Snap brings transformative weather mechanics and survival systems.
More importantly, the monetization feels fair. Free Raider Decks that never expire remove FOMO pressure. The Flickering Flames event requires no purchase and awards premium currency through normal play. When Embark does sell cosmetic bundles, they’re optional extras rather than paywalls blocking gameplay content. Players appreciate being treated like customers instead of wallets to drain.
The Expedition system is particularly clever. Voluntary progression resets with permanent rewards give hardcore players something to chase without forcing casuals into a grind. The seven-day window means players can choose when they’re ready rather than feeling pressured by arbitrary deadlines. And preserving Cred means the reset doesn’t feel like complete punishment.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Flickering Flames event end?
The Flickering Flames winter event runs from December 16, 2025 through January 13, 2026. That gives players about four weeks to complete all 25 reward levels by earning Merits through normal gameplay.
Do I have to buy the Goalie Raider Deck?
No, the Goalie Raider Deck is completely free for all players who own Arc Raiders. You unlock rewards using Cred, which you earn automatically by playing the game. There’s no premium track or paid tier.
What happens if I don’t participate in the Expedition?
Nothing. The Expedition is completely optional. If you don’t want to reset your character progression, you can ignore it entirely with zero penalties. Your raider stays exactly as is and you continue playing normally.
Can I still play on non-winter maps?
The Cold Snap snowfall condition rotates across four specific maps: Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and The Blue Gate. Other maps remain available without the winter weather effects, so you can choose whether to brave the cold or stick to normal conditions.
How long does it take to die from frostbite?
According to Embark Studios, freezing weather will kill your raider in just a few minutes of continuous exposure. The exact time varies based on your health pool and whether you’re healing, but staying outdoors indefinitely is a death sentence during Cold Snap conditions.
Is Arc Raiders cross-platform?
Yes, Arc Raiders supports full cross-play between PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. You can team up with friends regardless of platform, and all versions receive updates simultaneously.
How much does Arc Raiders cost?
Arc Raiders is priced at $39.99 USD for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It’s a premium purchase rather than free-to-play, with all gameplay content included in that base price.
Do I need the event to access Cold Snap maps?
No. The Cold Snap map condition is available to all players as part of the free update. The Flickering Flames event is a bonus reward track that runs alongside the new content, but you can experience the winter weather without engaging with the event progression.
Winter Is Here and It’s Staying
The Flickering Flames winter event represents exactly what live-service games should be doing. It introduces meaningful gameplay changes that force players to adapt their strategies rather than just adding cosmetic fluff. The frostbite mechanics and survival requirements transform how raids play out, creating fresh challenges for veterans while giving newcomers distinct experiences from the base game.
Free reward progression, permanent Raider Decks, optional character resets, and gameplay-first updates show Embark Studios understands how to maintain a healthy player base without exploiting them. Arc Raiders launched strong with 4 million sales, but the real test is whether it can sustain that momentum six months from now. Based on the quality of this first major seasonal event, the answer looks promising.
The winter update runs through mid-January, giving players plenty of time to experience freezing to death, fighting over shelter, and tracking enemies through snow. Whether you’re a launch player looking for fresh content or someone who’s been curious about jumping in, Cold Snap offers a perfect entry point. Just remember to pack extra healing items and know where the nearest buildings are. The cold shows no mercy, and neither do the players waiting inside those buildings to ambush you.