ARC Raiders’ 2026 Roadmap Has a Beacon on the Horizon that Needs to Be Worth the Wait

by

Embark Studios has shared its plans for ARC Raiders through April 2026, and there’s plenty to be excited about. The roadmap details upcoming features like new environmental conditions, more dangerous ARC enemies, and opportunities for Expeditions. However, the biggest update won’t arrive until April, so ARC Raiders players will have a bit of a wait for the most substantial content.

Now that the Cold Snap update is behind us, ARC Raiders is entering a new phase called Escalation, bringing fresh challenges for players. While learning the behaviors of new ARC machines will be tough, the game’s future plans also include more dynamic map conditions, forcing players to carefully plan their expeditions. A new map is what ARC Raiders really needs to revitalize gameplay, but players will have to wait until April for that to arrive.

ARC Raiders’ Next New Map Isn’t Coming Until April 2026

ARC Raiders currently has 5 main maps for players to explore:

  • Dam Battlegrounds
  • Buried City
  • Spaceport
  • Blue Gate
  • Stella Montis

When ARC Raiders launched, four maps were available, and Stella Montis was added in November 2025. While changing weather and other conditions on existing maps offer some variety, adding completely new areas is the best way to keep the game exciting. With players now familiar with Stella Montis, it’s a good time for the developers to release a new map and recapture the initial excitement of discovering a fresh location.

Stella Montis Was the Last ARC Raiders Map Added Back in November 2025

When the next map for ARC Raiders comes out in April, it will have been half a year since players received a new area to explore. The Stella Montis map has proven a bit divisive, as it takes place entirely inside a building and is a popular place for player-versus-player combat. A new map should help ease the congestion on Stella Montis, as players will likely focus on exploring the new addition, giving the current map some much-needed space.

The plan for ARC Raiders through 2026 includes a map update coming in February, though details about what this update will involve and how substantial it will be are still unknown.

The Next ARC Raiders Map Has High Expectations to Live Up To

Image via Embark Studios

The recent map, Stella Montis, sparked a lot of debate, so players have high expectations for the next ARC Raiders map. Many fans are hoping the next map will feature more open outdoor areas, similar to earlier maps, with a few buildings mixed in. Also, recent maps have been designed with player-versus-player combat in mind, so a map focused on player-versus-environment gameplay would likely be welcomed by those who prefer to avoid PvP.

The April 2026 update for ARC Raiders will offer more than just a new map. Several other features are also being added, including:

  • New Large ARC
  • New Map Condition
  • Expedition Window

The next update for ARC Raiders will be the third Expedition, and players will have the option to reset their progress for the first time in December 2025, with another reset planned for February 2026. The update will include a significant new ARC enemy – likely on the scale of the Queen or Matriarch – and a new environmental condition for the map. As the game continues without this new map, player anticipation will only grow, so it’s important that everything comes together to create a strong and enjoyable gameplay experience when it launches.

Read More

2026-01-25 07:04