Arc Raiders Pendola Pass update (en free weekend)

In de hoop een deel van de verloren player base terug te krijgen, of misschien wel in de hoop een nieuw publiek aan te spreken, krijgt Arc Raiders een enorme update met daarin de nieuwe Pendola Pass map, nieuwe map condition, nieuwe arcs en andere features en mechanics.

Voor mensen die nog twijfelen komt er een free weekend. Deze zal van 8 oktober tot 12 oktober lopen.

Pendola Pass

Ten eerste wat de devs zeggen over de aankomende Pendola Pass map:

• Where it is: the northern edge of the Rust Belt, in the mountain range north of every map you have played so far. Raiders have never been here, so it is framed as a first expedition into a new region, and the scale of the downed Walker is meant to make you feel you should not be there.
• How it plays: a large map built for variety, with verticality, open ground, tight interiors and close-quarters pockets. You can play it methodically or push the close-quarters areas for PvP.
• Flash freeze: not a map condition but part of Pendola Pass itself. Localized storms roll in, harsher than Cold Snap, and old civilian shelters broadcast a warning and open up. They are stocked with extra loot, which also makes them a magnet for other Raiders. Shelter locations will be one of the first marker groups we add.
• Inside the Emperor: the fallen Emperor has a sizable interior you can enter, with its own dynamics. It and the Frigate are the only sources of Amplification Modules.
• Frozen doors: some doors are frozen shut. Melt them with the flame spray or other fire, or smash through with your Raider tool.
• The Frigate is a sabotage puzzle, not a boss fight: ARC is running a rescue operation for the fallen Walker and the Frigate is the vessel it sent. You cannot shoot it down or blow it up. The intended experience is boarding a pirate ship: get on top, solve the puzzle, survive the hazards, sabotage it, and leave with the loot. It is explicitly pitched as an endgame challenge for highly skilled players.
• Enemy behaviour tips: the Bully never pauses and can stumble, fall and crash into players to knock them down. The Skulker is small and very fast, takes pot shots from range, hides behind rocks and rubble, and keeps a low profile until it unfolds to fire, so listen for it. The Hydra has three pairs of guns and can engage several squads at once; splitting its attention spreads its firepower.
• The Outpost feeds back into the map: Raiders are starting to settle outposts near Frozen Trail, and the Research Workstation there is where weapon amplification is unlocked, so Pendola Pass loot and Outpost progression are meant to loop into each other.

PvE en andere veranderingen

Arc Raiders lijkt naast Pendola Pass en de update ook een aantal andere wijzigingen te krijgen. Zo lijkt er een meer traditionele vorm van battle pass te komen en komen er veranderingen in de meta-game en de game economy. Er komt vanaf 13 oktober een PvE mode die als test zal lopen tot 20 oktober.