Devs have given players a brief look at what to expect from January until April.
Embark Studios have outlined the first roadmap of 2026 for ARC Raiders, giving players a look at the first four months of content. In a note to the community, the devs wrote, “When we launched in October, we gave you a rundown of our plans for the rest of 2025. We hope this got you excited about what was coming up, and gave you a flavor of how much new content to expect.”
They said that the team was “excited to share the roadmap for the next four months” which includes all the new content players can look forward to, like "new enemies, maps, conditions, or other changes."
The Escalation phase revealed to players
The first four months of 2026 are being treated as the Escalation phase, with each update adding new challenges, map conditions, and objectives for players to tackle.
January: Headwinds
The first update of the year focuses on experienced players. Embark is introducing a new matchmaking option limited to level 40 and above, which should funnel veteran Raiders into tougher, higher-stakes lobbies. A smaller-scale map condition is also being added, currently believed to be the toxic swamp event, subtly changing how certain runs unfold. On top of that, a new player project gives the community another long-term goal that will likely require a heavy investment of resources.
February: Shrouded Sky
February raises the tension with a more impactful map condition and the introduction of a new ARC threat, adding extra danger to trips across the surface. Players will also get another player project to contribute toward, along with a fresh Raider Deck packed with cosmetics and additional rewards. Embark has also teased a map update and confirmed a new Expedition window, although the entry requirements have not been revealed yet.
March: Flashpoint
MARCh continues the climb in intensity. A new large-scale map condition enters rotation, paired with another ARC threat that should make encounters less predictable. A further player project keeps long-term progression moving, while a mysterious “Scrappy update” suggests potential changes to how Scrappy gathers or interacts with resources during a raid.
April: Riven Tides
Then comes April’s Riven Tides patch, the biggest drop of the roadmap. Embark confirm “a new map entirely,” which is always a game-changer in an extraction shooter. A fresh layout means new ambush spots, new loot paths, and a brand-new learning curve for squads who thought they knew every safe rotation.
New maps won't just have visual changes this year
This roadmap lines up with Embark’s wider push for ARC Raiders in 2026, where maps are becoming central to how the game evolves. Future locations are expected to do more than just look different, they may come with unique rules, altered weather patterns, new enemy line-ups, and higher-value loot pools.
Previous additions like Stella Montis already showed how a map can introduce exclusive enemies and higher-tier gear, and Escalation looks like the start of that philosophy becoming the norm rather than the exception.
For players who’ve been waiting for deeper variety and tougher surface runs, the next few months could be where ARC Raiders really finds its long-term footing.
