Arc Raiders has been losing players, and while the game peaked at around 480,000 on Steam, it had dropped to roughly 90,000 by April 2026. This is a significant drop, and even the previous update, Riven Tides, which brought a brand new map, wasn’t enough to retain players. Embark Studios has now announced that Arc Raiders will not get monthly updates and Frozen Trail will be released in October 2026.
What Will Arc Raiders’ Frozen Trail Update Bring?
Embark Studios announced that they have dropped their plan of giving players a monthly update, as they believe it makes them less impactful. The developer stated that major updates will only be released twice yearly. This doesn’t mean players won’t see changes in the other months, as Embark revealed that a live service team will be rolling out regular balance fixes, bug fixes, and other QoL updates.
Embark also confirmed several details about the Frozen Trail update, which the developer is advertising as the game’s biggest update. The developer stated the update won’t just be big in terms of volume, but will also address concerns the community had. The main thing that fans may want to check in the update will likely be its new map, which will be the biggest in Arc Raiders yet.
Other changes will include new ARC enemies, but with fresh designs and unique behaviors. The update will also bring progression changes for players who have maxed out their skills, while also improving the skill tree. While these changes and additions sound nice, the question still remains whether the game will be able to retain players before the launch of the update.
Will the Large Gap Between Updates Affect Arc Raiders’ Player Count?
Embark has explained why it reached the conclusion that the pressure of monthly updates was holding Arc Raiders back. While the developer may think slowing down is a good idea, it may not be ideal for player retention. Long gaps between major updates can make players lose interest, which in turn can cause Arc Raiders’ player count to drop. This is particularly true for a live-service game like Arc Raiders, where players typically finish progression faster and then wait for new content to drop. Even Embark has admitted that many players have maxed out their Raider Den and Skill Points.
Embark also stated that live service teams will continue to release new Projects and Events, but if major updates can influence players to stay, then these minor additions may not be impactful enough. Another issue that arises with the six-month wait is the expectation among players that each of the two yearly updates will have massive content and changes. If Embark fails to impress players, then even if fans stick around for the update, they may be disheartened and leave if the update doesn’t meet expectations.
How Much Has Arc Raiders’ Player Count Dropped Since Launch
Arc Raiders was a massive success when it was released in November 2025, with the game peaking at approximately 481,966 concurrent players on Steam. The game kept its momentum and had even reportedly reached close to 1 million total concurrent players across platforms by early 2026. However, the player count decreased steeply by April 2026, with an average of 90,000 concurrent players on Steam.
This is a substantial drop, and if it isn’t enough, reports suggest that by June 2026, the concurrent players average is between 30,000 and 70,000, depending on the source. Many analysts have claimed that this drop isn’t surprising, and the game’s player base has just stabilized to a lower figure. While the player count may have reached a stable figure, it’s unclear whether the new update policy will affect long-term retention.
What Embark Could Do to Keep Players Engaged During the Update Gaps
The developer could introduce limited-time missions, seasonal challenges, or similar objectives in between the major updates to give players something to keep them active. This can work in players’ favor, as they can continue their progression, and the rewards may incentivize them to complete the missions and challenges.
Player Projects are a crucial element of Arc Raiders as they revolve around exploring and also fighting new ARC enemies. Since major enemies likely won’t be introduced in the live service updates, the teams can change how projects work to make them more diverse, rather than a repeat of kill, loot, collect, and donate.
This isn’t a gameplay element, but Embark can give players constant updates on new things that are coming in the live service update or a community-requested feature that could be seen in the major updates. Players typically return to a game when they see a change that they want. Similarly, players stick to a game when they think the game is heading in the correct direction.
