All The New Content In Today’s ‘Headwinds’ Patch

Arc Raiders

Credit: Embark

Arc Raiders continues to be one of the most successful new games of the decade, with strong player counts across Xbox, PlayStation and PC months after release. Earlier this month, Embark Studios released a content roadmap detailing upcoming updates through April. These include:

• New modes
• New Player Projects
• New map conditions
• New Arc “threat” (presumably enemies)
• New Raider Decks (similar to a Battle Pass, but completely free)
• A new Expedition Window (character reset)
• An update to Scrappy the rooster (probably needs more fruit!)
• A brand new map
• New large Arc (possibly a Baron or Emperor)
• and more . . . .

Everything New In January’s Headwinds Update

The first of these updates is live today, Tuesday January 26. The frigid Cold Snap event ended recently, and we’ve been effectively in a dead-zone between content updates. That’s about to change, though this January update appears to be the smallest of the bunch. Here’s everything you can expect in today’s Headwinds update.

Solo vs Squads (Matchmaking Option)

For Arc Raiders players above level 40 (there’s a level 75 cap) you will now have the option to play as a solo player in trios lobbies. The full details of this mode are not yet available, but the gist of it is . . . you take a very big risk and are rewarded with extra XP. If you’re really, really good, taking on three-packs might not intimidate you. I find the notion terrifying (I’ve had a number of matches where I take down two Raiders only to get flattened by the third when my teammates are already down).

For those of us at max level, extra XP isn’t very much incentive. I wish Embark would give max level players something as a reward for reaching XP milestones beyond the cap. Some credits? Some seeds? Metal parts? Something. I guess Embark is just throwing streamers a bone here, as it’s certainly going to be much more popular for viewers on Twitch than for most people playing the game.

Other options for optional matchmaking at level 40 could include:

• No free loadouts
• Some kind of buy-in
• Some kind of special challenge system with better rewards
• A bounty system
• Special high-risk, high-reward map conditions
• Custom map conditions where players can pick various modifiers to the match (which could possibly help with Trials)

Bird City

Apparently there has been an influx of birds in Buried City, though I admit I didn’t really notice this detail. Birds have no real purpose in the game other than to notify nearby players that someone just walked through a flock, scattering them into the air. There are also birds on wires that will flap out of your way if you zip across their perch.

Now, birds will take on a larger role in the Buried City. Valuable loot has been placed in bird’s nests and chimneys around the map. How valuable, how random, remains to be seen. I could really use a few more Blueprints. I still don’t have a Tactical MK.3 Augment, though my trusty Looting MK.3 Survivor Augment is pretty hard to beat.

I guess this is the “minor map condition” that Embark teased, though it’s really not as exciting as I’d hoped. Where is my toxic swamp? Must I go play Dark Souls instead?

Updated Event Schedule

Not included in the Headwinds blog post is the Monday update, which changed the rotating 24-hour event schedule completely. Now, there is a set weekly schedule of map conditions such as Lush Blooms, Electromagnetic Storm and so forth which will change each week, giving players more options than before. The previous schedule was fixed. Every type of condition on each map would happen at the exact same time of day, every day, meaning that if you were sleeping during that particular event, you’d simply have to miss it or stay up all night. Embark says that this could change further in the Headwinds update.

Trophy Display (Project)

Player Projects require Raiders to go out into the various maps and find loot, which must then be committed in order to progress and earn rewards. This Project is described thusly:

Some Raiders have taken to hunting ARC for sport. No longer is it just about defence; these mavericks take the fight to the machines and harvest them for prizes. Build out your trophy case, progress through the levels, and unlock valuable items in the process.

It sounds like there might be a visual element to this, allowing you to show off these trophies in your Raider Room alongside your Rubber Duckies. That would be cool. I’m just happy to have new stuff to grind. Hopefully there will be new quests also, though this isn’t mentioned anywhere. The only quests I have left are the ones my friends have to do, alas, though it is fun to help.

Cosmetics

Embark has teased two new cosmetic sets, including the Sandwalker Set pictured above. The other set will be revealed when the update goes live.

All told, a pretty minor update compared to Cold Snap, but this should at least tide us over until the February “Shrouded Sky” update, which appears to be significantly bigger and includes a new Arc threat and map update. Here’s the full roadmap:

It’s good to see so much content in the pipeline, but there are bigger changes I’d still like to see, including improvements to the crafting system and UI, an end to the pointless ABMM (aggression-based matchmaking) and so much more. Still the most addictive multiplayer game I’ve played in years. What are your thoughts on this update?