ARC Raiders Headwinds Now Has a Date: The Update with the New Mode Arrives This Week

Embark Studios confirms when the next big patch for the extraction shooter will be available.

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After publishing its roadmap for 2026, ARC Raiders is moving forward as planned. The team at Embark Studios has set an official date for Headwinds, the game’s next update, which will arrive on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 with several significant changes to the gaming experience.

The announcement was made through an image shared on the studio’s official social media channels, confirming that this patch will be the first on the marked calendar for this year. Although it’s not the long-awaited new map, it does introduce important changes that start to shape the game’s evolution over the next few months.

Everything included in the ARC Raiders Headwinds update

According to the information available so far, Headwinds will bring three major updates:

• New special map condition
  This is a temporary event that will be activated for one hour in matches. Everything suggests it could be related to the rumored Toxic Swamp, previously seen in leaks, although Embark has not officially confirmed it.

• New Player Project
  A system similar to previous events like Flickering Flames. It will work like a limited-time pass, with exclusive rewards, cosmetic items, and coins that can be unlocked by playing.

• Exclusive matchmaking for players level 40 or higher
  This is, for now, the big unknown of the patch. No specific details have been given on how it will work, but everything indicates it aims to offer more balanced matches for veteran players and reduce the level difference in confrontations.

Although Embark Studios is keeping some details under wraps until launch, Headwinds marks the real beginning of 2026 content for ARC Raiders. If the studio delivers on its promises, this update will be just the first step before much more ambitious changes in the coming months.