Arc Raiders Will Temporarily Go Free-to-Play Alongside Major Update

Published Oct 3, 2026, 9:08 AM EDT Ashely currently works as a news writer for Polygon. After getting her Translation degree, she was hired as a guide and news writer for GameRant and TheGamer. She enjoyed working as an author for these sites for six years, and in 2026, she started at Polygon, where she is able to continue to do what she loves: writing about video games. This is the perfect time to try Arc Raiders Arc Raiders is going free-to-play for four days alongside its biggest ever update Image: Embark Studios Sign in to your Polygon.com account October is looking like a busy month for Arc Raiders. On Oct. 8, the Frozen Trail update is set to go live. Not long after this, a PvE matchmaking beta test will also become available, delivering a much more relaxed Arc Raiders experience that friendly players have been requesting. The cherry on top is that everyone will get a chance to try the Frozen Trail update, as its release date coincides with Arc Raiders' free-to-play weekend. From Oct. 8 at 5 a.m. ET until Oct. 12 at 4 a.m. ET, Arc Raiders will be free to play on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. Although time-limited, the trial gives players full access to the game, allowing them to explore as much as they want during its duration. Arc Raiders free-to-play trial coincides with major update Image: Embark Studios Arc Raiders still has a fairly active player base, even if concurrent player count numbers have dropped quite a bit since launch. Thankfully, the free-to-play weekend coinciding with the launch of the Frozen Trail update is sure to bring people back to the game in droves. The Frozen Trail update will introduce a new map, Battle Pass, frigate patrol vessel, several new enemies and challenges, weapon mods, camera gadget, and weapon skins. It is great that Embark Studios is giving players a chance to try the game. Hopefully, it won't exacerbate Arc Raiders' cheating problem, as the free trial essentially opens the floodgates and allows a huge number of players in. While Embark Studios has put in significant effort to keep cheaters at bay, it has proved difficult to keep them under control. Frozen Trail is not expected to include additional anti-cheat measures, so hopefully the current protections will be sufficient to stop cheaters during the free-to-play weekend. Arc Raiders is available on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.