Arc Raiders' 2.0 Update And 'spider-Man' Grappling Hook Drive Player Count To Reach 7-Month High

Developer Embark has triggered a major resurgence for its extraction shooter, Arc Raiders, following the launch of its 2.0 update titled Frozen Trail. Released on October 8 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, the update has propelled the game's concurrent player count on Steam to over 166,000 on PC alone. This surge marks a seven-month high for the title, reaching figures not seen since early April, after a prolonged period where player counts consistently hovered below 35,000 and dropped to a low of 10,000 in September.

A primary driver behind this sudden influx of players is a free weekend promotion running from October 8 through October 12, accompanied by a 50 percent discount on all platforms. The resurgence comes after months of declining interest as Embark slowed down updates to rework the controversial Expedition prestige system. Frozen Trail represents the first substantial content drop the game has received since the Riven Tides update in April, successfully recapturing community attention across social media and gaming forums.

The centerpiece of the 2.0 update is Pendola Pass, a vast, snowy mountainous map set beyond the familiar Rust Belt region. Along with the map, the update adds new Arc threats such as the Bully, Skulker, and Hydra, alongside a massive UFO-style Arc vessel known as the Frigate. Players have also gained access to new weaponry, including the Bantam and Stiletto, alongside Amplified Weapons, 22 new quests, an expanded stash capacity, and a revamped skill tree designed to offer more impactful choices.

Among the new utility items, the Grappling Hook and Tether Launcher have generated significant community excitement. The Grappling Hook allows players to maneuver across steep terrain, attach to flying Arc enemies, and swing through environments in a manner fans are comparing to Spider-Man. Complementing these traversal tools are new items such as the Basic and Advanced Cameras, the Mountaineer's Detector, Yank Grenade, and musical instruments like the Banjo and Harmonica.

The Frozen Trail update also introduces the Outpost system, which players can build and customize using a Research Bench and 100 new craftable furniture designs. Progression has been overhauled through the Reward Pass system, replacing the former Raider Decks and Cred currency with Reward Points and a 60-tier Frozen Trail Pass. Additionally, players can now apply 14 different cosmetic Weapon Stencils to their gear, though these custom-styled weapons remain susceptible to loss and looting if a player is eliminated topside.

Looking forward, Embark is preparing to test a dedicated PvE mode, addressing a long-standing request from the community since the title launched almost a year ago. Between the current content drop, ongoing Twitch drop promotions offering exclusive attachments, and future plans for film and television adaptations within the same universe, Embark is actively working to sustain the renewed momentum surrounding its extraction shooter.