Introduction
If you are searching for an arc raiders update, the latest one to know about is Live Update 2.3.0, released on 27 October 2026. It is not a new map or season, but it changes how several raids play out: the Expedition Vault is being disabled, the best Emperor and Frigate loot now sits deeper inside, and two pieces of equipment get meaningful buffs.
This guide covers what 2.3.0 changed, what it did not fix, its Frozen Trail context, and how to install it.
ARC Raiders Update at a Glance
ARC Raiders is a PvPvE extraction shooter from Embark Studios: drop in, loot, fight ARC machines and other Raiders, and extract before you lose what you carried in. A loot move or balance change can alter which routes are worth running.
| Fact | ARC Raiders update detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Embark Studios |
| Release date | 30 October 2025 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Genre | PvPvE extraction shooter |
| Latest update | Live Update 2.3.0, 27 October 2026 |
| How to get it | Restart the game to download it |
| Previous major update | Frozen Trail 2.0, 8 October 2026 |
Live Update 2.3.0: The Headline Changes
Update 2.3.0 is a course correction after Frozen Trail. Embark returns to gameplay fixes every three weeks and store updates weekly.
The headline items are Soul’s Offering, the Noxious Set, the Expedition Vault closure, deeper Emperor and Frigate loot, and buffs to the Heavy Shield and Flame Spray. None is a new map, weapon, or ARC machine.
Soul’s Offering and the Noxious Set
Soul’s Offering is the new player project that launched with 2.3.0. It comes from Celeste, who asks Speranza’s residents to honour Raiders lost on the surface, after accounts of losses on Pendola Pass reach Toledo’s four contradas. The theme is remembrance, not combat.
No full item checklist, reward conditions, or settled end date is given in the summaries: one listing gives 16 November 2026, an earlier preview showed 15 November, so treat either as unconfirmed. Reported materials include Dead Flowers, Rock Salt, Railway Lanterns, Fancy Plates, Mask Fragments and an Insulation Roll — check in game before farming.
The Noxious Set is separate: a store set that arrived with the update, not the completion reward for Soul’s Offering. No price or full bundle inventory is listed in the summaries checked, so check the in-game store before spending Raider Tokens.
The Expedition Vault Is Closing
The biggest storage change in 2.3.0 is the end of the Expedition Vault. Embark says it will disable the Vault, move everything stored in it to your stash, and compensate players who purchased Vault slots with Bronze Statuettes.
You do not need to empty it yourself, but check your stash after updating, especially if it was close to full. No closure time, Statuette exchange rate, or replacement storage feature is given, so do not assume a new vault system is coming. Store Update 2.2.0 on 20 October 2026 had already removed the Vault tab; 2.3.0 finishes the job.
Emperor and Frigate Loot Moves Deeper
For high-end farming, the key change is loot placement. Inside the Emperor, containers near the entrance now offer lower-tier rewards, while higher-tier loot sits deeper inside. The Frigate gets the same treatment, with clearer visual hatches and sound cues to show puzzle progress.
Grabbing the easiest outer crates is therefore less rewarding. Finish puzzle rooms, reach the Grand Loot Room in the Emperor, and push deeper into the Frigate.
Blueprint drops change too. Six weapon blueprints — Dolabra, Bobcat, Equalizer, Jupiter, Tempest and Vulcano — can now drop in any major map condition. The Emperor Key blueprint has a reduced drop chance from Redirection pods, with a small chance of added ARC parts and high-tier loot. Embark gave no new numerical drop rates, so no percentages are quoted here.
Balance Changes: Heavy Shield, Flame Spray and Firefly Burner
Three equipment changes headline the balance side of 2.3.0, all straightforward buffs or behaviour fixes rather than reworks.
| Equipment | What 2.3.0 changes |
|---|---|
| Heavy Shield | Base charge rises from 80 to 90 |
| Flame Spray | Damage rises from 10 to 13 per second, durability drain cut by 50% |
| Firefly Burner | Now triggers when thrown, leaves fire, and explodes after about 3 seconds |
Embark says Heavy Shield use remains low despite earlier buffs. The Flame Spray is a 30% damage increase with half the durability drain, and a fix stops its fire passing through walls. The Firefly Burner now goes off when it lands. Grappling Hook problems are also repaired, and Rolling ARC no longer leave tracks after death.
What 2.3.0 Does Not Fix
An arc raiders update is only useful if you know what is still broken. Embark continues to list partial-progress softlocks in To the Skies, photograph objectives failing to register in When Everything Falls, and Clean Hands becoming blocked after losing the Equatorial Sundial.
Xbox instability, a Grappling Hook bounce, and Reclaimer docking and vaulting problems on the Frigate also remain listed. No PvE toggle return is announced. Hitting one of these after updating does not mean your download failed.
How 2.3.0 Fits Into Frozen Trail
Update 2.3.0 only makes full sense in the context of Frozen Trail, the biggest ARC Raiders update since launch. Frozen Trail 2.0 went live on 8 October 2026 and added the Pendola Pass map, three new ARC machines, two weapons, Amplified Weapons, the Outpost, a reworked Skill Tree and the Reward Pass.
| Update | Date | What it added or fixed |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Trail 2.0 | 8 October 2026 | Pendola Pass, Bully, Skulker and Hydra ARC, Stiletto and Bantam weapons, Amplified Weapons, Outpost, Skill Tree rework, Reward Pass |
| Update 2.1.0 | 13 October 2026 | Fixes for Field Repair, Broad Shoulders and the Gondola bug |
| Store Update 2.2.0 | 20 October 2026 | Removed the Expedition Vault tab and offer |
| Live Update 2.3.0 | 27 October 2026 | Soul’s Offering, Noxious Set, Vault closure, deeper loot, shield and spray buffs |
Frozen Trail also replaced Cred with Reward Points, made the Anvil rarer, weakened the Snap Hook, and removed Solo versus Squads matchmaking while Embark reassesses it. Frozen Trials runs from 8 October 2026 to 12 January 2027.
How to Update ARC Raiders on PS5, Xbox and PC
Embark’s instruction for 2.3.0 is simple: restart the game to download the update. Consoles and PC launchers check for updates on launch, so that is usually all you need to do.
On PlayStation 5, close the game rather than leaving it suspended, then relaunch. On Xbox Series X|S, quit fully and relaunch, checking your download queue. On PC, Steam and the Epic Games Store check on launch; restarting the launcher usually clears a stuck download. If it still shows the old version, verify game files before reinstalling.
After updating, check your stash, your shield and spray loadouts, and the Soul’s Offering screen before your next raid.
Conclusion
The latest arc raiders update, Live Update 2.3.0 from 27 October 2026, is a tidy-up with teeth. The changes that will shape your raids are the deeper Emperor and Frigate loot, the wider blueprint drops, and the Heavy Shield and Flame Spray buffs.
Update by restarting the game, check your stash, and do not expect the remaining quest and Xbox issues to be gone yet.
For more UK gaming coverage, keep reading Game Horizon.
FAQs
What is the latest ARC Raiders update?
Live Update 2.3.0, released on 27 October 2026: Soul’s Offering, the Noxious Set, Vault closure, deeper loot, and shield and spray buffs.
How do I download the ARC Raiders update?
Restart the game. Closing it fully and launching it again should trigger the download on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
What happened to the Expedition Vault in ARC Raiders?
Embark is disabling it in 2.3.0: contents move to your stash, and purchased Vault slots are compensated with Bronze Statuettes. No replacement is announced.
Did ARC Raiders update 2.3.0 buff the Flame Spray?
Yes. Flame Spray damage rises from 10 to 13 per second, with durability drain cut by 50%. The Heavy Shield also rises, from a base charge of 80 to 90.
Does ARC Raiders update 2.3.0 add a new map?
No. It adds no new map, weapon, or ARC machine. The most recent new map is Pendola Pass, added in Frozen Trail 2.0 on 8 October 2026.
Is ARC Raiders update 2.3.0 free?
Yes, for owners on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The Noxious Set is a separate store item, so check its in-game price.
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