Developer Embark Studios has laid out its new Arc Raiders roadmap, revealing that a new map, Expedition Windows, Arc threats, a new Raider Deck, and more will launch between now and April 2026.
The four-month plan, shared in a blog post and dubbed Escalation, comes with details about how the company plans to expand its explosive multiplayer extraction shooter with content all the way to spring. It all comes with what Embark teases will be a steady flow of new quests, trials, items, cosmetics, and quality-of-life features, priming Arc Raiders with a content-filled start to its first new year in players’ hands.
In addition to icons, which may tease an update’s contents, each month is assigned a title. Despite having just one week left, the same goes for January, which has been labeled Headwinds. The big inclusion players can expect in the coming days is a level 40+ matchmaking option, giving PvE and PvP Raiders more freedom to raid without fear they’re being matched against those of a higher skill level. A new map condition featuring a bird icon and a new player project are also set to arrive before January is out.
February (Shrouded Sky) keeps the ball rolling with a wider collection of slightly small – but still consequential – updates. A new map update, Raider Deck, Expedition Window, and player project seem to be par for the course in terms of regular updates for the future, and they’ll be present in February, too. Next month’s more intriguing additions lie in the promise of a new map condition that eerily features what appears to be a wind icon, as well as a new Arc threat.
March (Flashpoint) brings another arc threat, player project, and map condition, with everyone’s favorite resource-collection rooster, Scrappy, also set to receive an update as winter comes to an end. It’s April (Riven Tides) that promises the biggest bombshells for eager fans, with Embark delivering a new Arc Raiders map and a new large Arc threat. Only a skull is shown to tease whatever monstrosity will be joining the likes of the Matriarch and Queen, but judging by the umbrella icon and month title, it appears the new location may feature beaches or watery areas that will inevitably be polluted with lost loot and Raider flares.
Embark has big plans to kick off 2026, with its roadmap from May onward still being kept a secret for now as the studio aims to launch new content every month. A new Arc Raiders map, which will surely come with its own hidden mysteries to uncover, is no doubt the update players will be penciling into their calendars, though it’s unclear when the team will be more willing to show how the new location will fit into its PvPvE formula.
“The increased ARC presence continues to trouble Shani as the Rustbelt grows more overwhelmed,” the blog post says, “but no one holds all the pieces. The scale of the impending escalation remains unknown. Venture topside into an increasingly volatile Rustbelt—and make sure you’re prepared for what’s to come.”
Arc Raiders launched October 30, 2025, and delivered its first new map, Stella Montis, in November. That puts a distance of about five months between its launch and the release date of the next new map. It’s unclear if Embark intends to keep with this pace in the months and years ahead.
While the studio works to keep the content faucet on following its winter break, the team has also spent recent weeks playing Whac-A-Mole with Arc Raiders cheaters. Recent moves in this regard have seen Embark patching holes in Stella Montis, while a few content creators find themselves in the line of fire. Meanwhile, some players are just hoping they stop spawning into games so late.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
