ARC Raiders Details Big New Update for January 2026

The third major update for ARC Raiders launches on January 27th, bringing with it some exciting changes to the much-loved live service extraction shooter. ARC Raiders burst onto the scene late last year and was an instant success, quickly becoming one of the most popular new games of 2025. The extraction shooter has continued to keep its loyal fans engaged while attracting new players, largely thanks to its updates.

Since launch, ARC Raiders it receives regular updates that address technical issues with the game and also add new content to the experience. in November ARC Raiders released the North Line update which added a new Stella Montis map, new ARCs to the battle and more. Then in December, ARC Raiders players were treated to the Cold Snap update, which covered maps in snow, among many other things. Now ARC Raiders fans need to get ready for the next big update coming out on January 27th.

ARC Raiders players think that Embark just made a big change in matchmaking

Some ARC Raiders players believe that developers Embark Studios may have quietly made a huge change to the game's matchmaking system.

January 27th ARC Raiders will officially release the Headwinds Update, the third major update for the extraction shooter. As part of the Headwinds update, ARC Raiders will introduce new matchmaking options to give players more control over their experience. This includes new open parties that allow friends to join between matches, and group invites that allow players to invite others directly through the game. Perhaps the most interesting change to matchmaking coming in the January 27th update is the new Solo vs. Squads, which will be available to players who have reached level 40. Solo ARC Raiders players who opt for Solo vs. Squads, they get bonus xp in exchange for a much more challenging experience.

The birds are taking over

Updating Headwinds will also do ARC RaidersBuried city a little more interesting. Thanks to the new state of the rotating map, flocks of birds will leave valuable items on rooftops and chimneys in the buried city, encouraging players to perhaps visit places on the map they haven't been to before. These bird drops will also make players more likely to bump into each other in the Buried City, which could go a long way in making matches even more intense. A big part ARC Raiders is a social experience and it sounds like the Headwinds update will increase the number of encounters in the buried city.

Another change coming with the Headwind update is the new ARC Trophy display, which allows players to turn in ARC parts for progression rewards that include items, cosmetics, achievements, blueprints, and raider tokens.

Headwinds is the first of many big updates in 2026

Before a detailed description of the large ARC Raiders January update, Embark Studios released a roadmap to give fans an idea of what to expect from the extraction shooter next year. The January update will of course be followed by a February update called Shrouded Sky, which features new extreme weather for maps, a new ARC for combat, and more. The Flashpoint update will follow in March and finally the Riven Tides update in April.

The Riven Tides update will feature a brand new map for ARC Raiders players to watch, so it's likely to be especially exciting for fans. Regardless, all of these updates add up to ensure Embark Studios has a healthy supply of new content for fans to enjoy, and it will be exciting to watch the extraction shooter continue to grow in the coming months.