ARC Raiders: Shared Watch Event, Cold Snap & New Cosmetics

ARC Raiders is refocusing its gameplay with a new, cooperative event called Shared Watch, launching today, February 10, 2026, and running through February 24, 2026. The event encourages players to team up against the game’s robotic antagonists, the ARC, rather than engaging in player-versus-player combat, though PvP remains enabled.

The Shared Watch event centers around earning “Merits” by damaging and destroying ARC units. 100 XP translates to 1 Merit, and these Merits unlock rewards along a dedicated event track. Rewards include a Vita-Spray Blueprint, Raider Tokens, and a new cosmetic set dubbed “Slugger,” which features a baseball theme. Notably, PvP encounters will not contribute to Merit accumulation, emphasizing the cooperative aspect of the event.

Cold Snap Returns

Alongside the Shared Watch event, Embark Studios is reintroducing the “Cold Snap” map condition. First introduced during the winter season, Cold Snap adds a survival element to gameplay on outdoor maps. Players must seek shelter from the cold to avoid frostbite damage, but braving the elements yields increased loot value. Candleberries, previously tied to the Cold Snap event, are now available for collection regardless of the active map condition, and players can also throw snowballs.

Cosmetic Updates

Two new cosmetic sets are available: the Vulpine set and the Slugger set. The Slugger set is directly tied to the Shared Watch event as a reward for participation.

Ongoing Development and Bug Fixes

Embark Studios acknowledges that recent updates have included changes not fully documented in patch notes and is actively working to improve the accuracy and completeness of its release communication. The team emphasizes a commitment to transparency and encourages players to report discrepancies.

The latest update addresses several bug fixes, including improvements to reconnection stability, resolution of issues with the match start tunnel scene, and fixes for objective reward failures in trials. Corrections have also been made to incorrect merit, XP, and Live Event point displays at the end of rounds, as well as issues with platform icon visibility. A fix was also implemented to address crafting cancellations.

Gameplay Adjustments

The Trailblazer Grenade has been adjusted to prevent damage from passing through walls. Its damage output has been increased against smaller enemies but reduced against larger ones, such as Leapers and Bastions. Weapon cycling has also been improved when keybinds are used other than the mouse wheel.

Known Issues

Several known issues remain as of February 10, 2026. A variant of the Marco set helmet may display incorrectly in the menu but appears correctly in-game. Players may occasionally fail to receive a skill point as indicated on the result screen, which can be resolved by rebooting the game or starting another round. The ‘Purchase Raider Tokens’ page may briefly appear in front of the inbox and profile pages when switching between them. Player animations may be broken when interrupting a search of the Baron Husk. Certain containers may be unavailable for interaction. Ziplines placed on destroyed ARC parts will not render correctly. The Scrappy “Batting Helmet” and the “Slugger” outfit may not display correctly in the event preview. Finally, the “Blindsided” achievement may not trigger consistently on the first attempt.

The Shared Watch event represents a shift towards cooperative gameplay within ARC Raiders, offering players a focused opportunity to collaborate against the ARC threat and earn rewards. The return of the Cold Snap map condition adds a layer of environmental challenge, while ongoing bug fixes and development improvements demonstrate Embark Studios’ commitment to refining the player experience.