
As a big fan of ARC Raiders, I’m so excited to see what Embark has planned for the game in 2026! They just dropped a roadmap for the first quarter, and it looks amazing. The first update, called “Headwinds,” is coming out tomorrow on all platforms. It’s adding a new weather effect to the maps, a cool new player project to work on, and finally, matchmaking! I’m checking to see exactly when the Headwinds update goes live so I can jump right in.
When Will the ARC Raiders Headwinds Update Release? (Global Release Times)
The first update of the quarter, called Headwinds for ARC Raiders, will be available on January 26, 2026. Although it doesn’t include a large amount of new content, it does introduce some new gameplay features. This will keep the game interesting for players until the next update, Shrouded Sky, arrives in February.
Curious about when the Headwinds update for ARC Raiders is launching? Here’s a breakdown of the release times.
| Region | Timezone | Release Times & Dates |
|---|---|---|
| United States | PST (UTC-8) | 1:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 |
| MST (UTC-7) | 2:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 | |
| CST (UTC-6) | 3:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 | |
| EST (UTC-5) | 4:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 | |
| Brazil | BRT (UTC-3) | 6:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 |
| United Kingdom (UK) | GMT (UTC+0) | 9:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 |
| Germany | CET (UTC+1) | 10:30 AM on January 27th, 2026 |
| Russia | MSK (UTC+3) | 12:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | (UTC+4) | 1:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| Pakistan | PKT (UTC+5) | 2:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| India | IST (UTC+5:30) | 3:00 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| China, Singapore, Hong Kong | CST (UTC+8) | 5:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| Japan | JST (UTC+9) | 6:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| Australia | AEDT (UTC+11) | 8:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | NZDT (UTC+13) | 10:30 PM on January 27th, 2026 |
What’s Coming in ARC Raiders Headwinds Update
Embark has revealed what’s new in the upcoming Headwinds update for ARC Raiders. Here’s a detailed look at all the fresh content players can expect.
- Solo vs Squads Matchmaking: A new matchmaking option will be added to the game for level 40+ players. This will allow solo players to matchmake with full squads for higher XP.
- New Bird City Condition: This is a Buried City exclusive minor map condition. Players will be able to find loot-packed nests in Buried City, which might allow them to find high-quality loot.
- ARC Trophy Display Project: This will be the new donation-based project called “ARC Trophy Display,” which will be coming in the new ARC Raiders headwinds update. From the project’s name, it might be safe to assume that players will need to hunt down ARCs and donate their various components for rewards.
- New Cosmetics: It’s highly likely that a few new cosmetics will also grace the in-game store with this new update. It’s yet to be seen what kind of cosmetic sets they’ll end up looking like.
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2026-01-26 20:09