- Primary Subject: ARC Raiders – 2026 Escalation Roadmap (January to April)
- Key Update: The January “Headwinds” update may introduce a four-player squad-based PvE mode and new matchmaking options for high-level Raiders.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 19, 2026
- Quick Answer: ARC Raiders’ 2026 roadmap reveals the January “Headwinds” update, teasing four-player squads, new matchmaking, a potential sandstorm map event, and ongoing content through April.
Embark has officially revealed the full January to April 2026 roadmap for ARC Raiders, detailing upcoming events and extra content that will make its way into the extraction shooter.
The Roadmap, titled “Escalation,” will continue to test Raiders as they scavenge topside. One particular piece of content set to drop this January, called “Headwinds,” is making a lot of ARC Raiders’ players excited as they believe it is the game’s new “Squad-based PvE.”
In the January roadmap, Headwinds is slated for a January 27, 2026, release and will include a new matchmaking option for Raiders who reached Level 40 and above. No further details have been unveiled yet apart from a cryptic image featuring three Raiders in a map supposedly covered in a thick sandstorm.
Players assume that this is Embark’s first foray into four-player team Squads, or “Quads.” This might change the way ARC Raiders was meant to be played, as its hybrid of PvE and PvP content is limited to only three players. With Aggression-Based Matchmaking already in the game, things could escalate into chaotic PvP moments that invite the most aggressive players.
The alleged “Quads” mode will also be the ultimate test of teamwork in ARC Raiders, as most of the game’s endgame threats, like the Matriarch and Queen, require a full lobby to maximize damage and resources. Four players in one squad could also open doors to more cinematic PvE moments, but given that this is pure speculation, it is too early to tell.
Other players also assume that the Headwinds update will add a new matchmaking system that mixes solo and three-player squads, potentially opening opportunities to a more competitive PvP experience, especially in a map like Stella Montis.
A deathmatch mode is highly unlikely, as it goes beyond what ARC Raiders’ design philosophy is about: hunting Arc machines and running away from hostile Raiders. Embark has always been explicit about its aversion to a true PvP or PvE setup, so the Headwinds update might not be something that revolutionizes its two systems.
Headwinds will also include a new map event, which many players believe to be a sandstorm. We’ve already had our first taste of incremental weather with blizzards in ARC Raiders during the Cold Snap update. The sandstorm event isn’t outside the realm of possibility for Embark to implement. However, players should expect new twists to this weather type, as it may not be as simple as covering an area with dust and sand.
There’s still more content coming to ARC Raiders, according to its Escalation roadmap. February and March will both see a new Arc threat, including a new map condition and a map update. April, however, is the most interesting, as it adds a whole new map and a large Arc. Could this be the long-rumored Volcano map?
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