“What happens topside, stays topside.” It’s an unspoken rule among Raiders: whatever grudges, deals, or betrayals unfold above ground are left behind at the tubes. In a world where survival often means shooting first and asking questions later, ARC Raiders has always embraced moral gray areas. But Speranza isn’t without a conscience—and neither are all of its Raiders.

That philosophy is at the heart of Shared Watch, a new live event and thematic update that reframes the struggle in the Rust Belt. While Raider-on-Raider violence may never be fully contained, Celeste and the people of Speranza are reminding everyone why humanity retreated underground in the first place. The machines are the true enemy. And sometimes, cooperation matters more than dominance.

Shared Watch: A Celebration of Cooperation

The Shared Watch is an annual holiday in ARC Raiders that honors those who look out for their fellow survivors. Instead of rewarding PvP aggression, this event pushes Raiders to work together—whether with friends or strangers—to take the fight directly to the ARC threat.

· Event Duration: Starts now and runs until February 24

· How to Earn Merits:

  · Destroying ARC units

  · Assisting teammates

  · Dealing damage to machines

· What Doesn’t Count:

  · PvP encounters grant no merits

This design choice is deliberate. Shared Watch is about tolerating, teaming up, or simply coexisting long enough to dismantle the machines piece by piece. Ammo, coordination, and positioning matter more than grudges. If the ARC notices you first, you’re probably doing it right.

Cold Snap Returns: Risk, Reward, and Frostbite

Winter isn’t finished with the Rust Belt just yet. The Cold Snap map condition has returned to rotation on outdoor maps, bringing back its signature blend of danger and opportunity.

· Frostbite Damage:

Stay exposed too long without shelter, and your run will end quickly.

· Increased Loot Value:

Those who brave the cold are rewarded with better loot drops.

· Environmental Interactions:

  · Candleberries can still be collected, though they’re no longer tied to any event.

  · Snowballs are back—and throwable. Tactical tool or pure mischief, your call.

Cold Snap reinforces ARC Raiders’ core loop: calculated risk. Preparation and awareness can turn a frozen wasteland into a lucrative run.

New Cosmetics: Style Beneath the Dust

Two new cosmetic sets arrive with this update, offering Raiders fresh ways to express themselves underground:

· The Vulpine Set – Sleek, sharp, and fitting for those who value cunning over brute force.

· The Slugger Set – Built for presence, impact, and a more aggressive silhouette.

While cosmetics don’t change performance, they reinforce identity—something that matters in a shared world where reputation carries weight.

Content Updates and Developer Transparency

The ARC Raiders team acknowledges that some changes in past updates slipped through without proper documentation. As a live service title still finding its operational rhythm, the developers emphasize that accurate, comprehensive patch notes are a skill they’re actively refining.

Player reports have been instrumental in catching inconsistencies, and the team has committed to improving internal processes to ensure fewer omissions going forward. Feedback isn’t just welcomed—it’s essential.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

This update includes a wide range of fixes aimed at stability, progression accuracy, and overall polish:

General Fixes

· Improved reconnection reliability after disconnects.

· Fixed missing match-start tunnel scenes.

· Ensured partial trial rewards are granted even if timeouts occur.

· Corrected end-of-round displays for merits, XP, and Live Event points.

· Fixed incorrect platform icon displays.

· Resolved issues where crafting could be unexpectedly cancelled.

Utility: Trailblazer Grenade

· Explosions no longer deal damage through walls.

· Increased damage to small enemies.

· Reduced damage to larger ARC units like the Leaper and Bastion.

Weapons

· Fixed inconsistent weapon cycling when using custom keybinds. Weapon swapping is now reliable regardless of input method.

Known Issues (Still Under Investigation)

The developers have also outlined several known issues players may still encounter:

· Certain Marco helmet previews appear incorrect in menus.

· Skill points may occasionally fail to award until rebooting or playing another round.

· UI layering issues with the Raider Tokens purchase page.

· Animation glitches when interrupting Baron Husk searches.

· Some containers may be non-interactable.

· Ziplines attached to destroyed ARC parts may display incorrectly.

· Event previews may misrepresent the Scrappy “Batting Helmet” and Slugger outfit.

· The “Blindsided” achievement may not trigger on the first attempt.

Final Thoughts

Shared Watch isn’t just an event—it’s a statement. ARC Raiders continues to explore the tension between survivalist selfishness and collective resilience. Whether you choose to tolerate, team up, or simply coexist long enough to dismantle a Bastion, this update nudges the community toward remembering why the fight began in the first place.

The machines are still out there. Winter is still unforgiving. But for a limited time, the Rust Belt is a little more united—and a little more dangerous for the ARC.