You can now participate in snowy raids with the addition of the Cold Snap winter update in ARC Raiders which includes a new weather mechanic and a limited time progression event. If this is your first time participating in the event, here is an easy breakdown of everything you need to know for the Cold Snap update!
Understanding the Cold Snap Update
Snow is not a common occurrence for every raid. During the Cold Snap event, only one map at a time will receive winter weather effects. To enjoy a snowy raid, simply select the winter version of your desired map prior to deploying. If you don’t choose it, you’ll automatically load into a normal, non-winter area.
Frostbite is an environmental effect introduced in Cold Snap that occurs after you spend too much time standing outside in the cold! After roughly one minute of being outside, your character will start to visibly shiver, indicating that it is getting cold.
If you continue to stay out in the cold, you will begin to see more snow collect on your clothing. While wearing these snow-covered outfits, your health will gradually begin to decrease. You will not receive all of your health loss immediately, but it will continue to build until it reaches its maximum level.
Resetting Frostbite
When you walk into a closed-in space, the health drain stops instantly. Frostbite does not disappear immediately though. Your character still requires a brief interval of time to recover and wait for the snow build-up to disappear. If you go back outside too soon, you will cause the process to restart at an even quicker pace.
A good rule of thumb would be to wait until the snow patches vanish from your clothing before moving out again.
Cold Snap Outfit Rewards
The event also introduces new cosmetic rewards, including the Warden outfit. To unlock it, you need to complete the Stench of Corruption quest, which becomes available as part of a quest chain and requires finishing certain prerequisite tasks first.
Completing the Groundbreaking quest unlocks an additional color variant for the Warden outfit. Beyond this, more cosmetics, items, and emotes are available.
Flickering Flames Event Overview
Alongside Cold Snap, the Flickering Flames event becomes available through the Raider → Projects menu. This event is divided into five progression stages, each requiring specific scavenged materials. These include:
- Empty Wine Bottles
- Light Bulbs
- Plastic Parts
- Durable Cloth
- A special seasonal resource: Candleberries
Completing stages unlocks cosmetic rewards tied to the event.
How to Find Candleberries
Candleberries don’t appear randomly across the map. They spawn only in areas with dense vegetation. Where to look:
- Regions with trees, bushes, and overgrown terrain
- Central green zones on maps like Buried City
- Vegetation-heavy areas on maps such as the Dam
They’re not common, so you’ll need to search carefully around bushes rather than expecting obvious markers. Once found, Candleberries are harvested from small trees.
Conclusion: Cold Snap isn’t just visual flair, it changes how you move, plan routes, and manage time outdoors. Treat buildings as checkpoints, manage Frostbite carefully, and prioritize safe extraction when carrying Candleberries.
