Embark Studios will make ARC Raiders available to play for free across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S during a limited-time promotional trial starting this Thursday (8). The four-day access window coincides with the arrival of Frozen Trail, which developers describe as the largest content expansion delivered to the extraction shooter since its commercial release.

The temporary trial grants newcomers unrestricted access to the complete base game without progression caps, allowing players to test the full experience before deciding whether to purchase the standard US$ 39.99 package. “Free play will grant access to the full ARC Raiders game, so you can try out the award-winning extraction adventure before you buy,” the Embark Studios Team stated, adding that “the free play period also coincides with the launch of Frozen Trail, our biggest update since launch.”

ARC Raiders trial schedule and platforms

The free trial period begins on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 09:00 UTC (06:00 Brasília time) and runs through Monday, October 12, 2026, at 08:00 UTC (05:00 Brasília time). Over the course of the 95-hour window, the trial will operate simultaneously across Steam on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S consoles, maintaining shared progression throughout the promotional event.

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• Platforms: PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
• Start time: Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 09:00 UTC
• End time: Monday, October 12, 2026, at 08:00 UTC
• Total duration: 4 days (95 hours of active server access)
• Standard purchase price: US$ 39.99 for the full commercial edition

Frozen Trail brings new maps and machinery to ARC Raiders

The Frozen Trail update introduces Pendola Pass, an alpine map situated around an old Italian settlement and transit hub connected to the Exodus project. Newcomers joining sessions with experienced squad members can enter Pendola Pass immediately if the host has unlocked the area, navigating snowy narrow paths, a buried railway depot, an abandoned supermarket, an observatory, and a ballistic gondola system designed as an extraction point.

Alongside the fresh mountain environment, the expansion expands operational hazards by introducing new ARC enemy variants named the Frigate, Bully, Skulker, and Hydra. The update also adds the Raider Den outpost extension, giving returning squads additional infrastructure to manage their operations, while expanding the combat sandbox with new defensive tools, weapons, and tactical gear including the Stiletto, the Bantam, the Grappling Hook, the Tether Launcher, and a deployable Camera.

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Commercial trajectory and player activity on Steam

ARC Raiders initially entered development under a free-to-play business framework before Embark Studios restructured the project into a premium release priced at US$ 39.99, which launched commercially on October 30, 2025. Following that debut, the third-person extraction shooter established an all-time peak of 481,966 concurrent players on Steam, setting a strong initial benchmark for the studio before server populations stabilized over the ensuing operational year.

While console engagement figures remain private, recent daily peak concurrency on PC has hovered near 50,000 players on Steam, prompting the studio to use the combination of a major content drop and open trial access to attract prospective buyers. Contrary to initial assumptions suggesting an unannounced transition to a permanent free-to-play structure, Embark Studios clarified that the promotional campaign functions strictly as a temporary four-day access window, after which the US$ 39.99 retail barrier will resume across all digital storefronts.

Upcoming PvE testing phase after the trial window

Whether Embark Studios will accompany the promotional trial with a price discount on digital storefronts during the free days remains unconfirmed by the publisher. Once the promotional trial concludes on Monday, October 12, 2026, the studio will shift focus toward testing alternative matchmaking environments, opening a dedicated player-versus-environment trial run that deactivates damage between players from Tuesday, October 13, to October 20, 2026.