Cold Snap Map Condition Guide

What to know

Cold Snap introduces heavy snowfall as a map-wide condition, significantly altering surface environments
Exposure to extreme cold gradually drains health, forcing players to move between indoor shelters or use healing items to survive.
In Cold Snap, lakes and open water freeze and become slippery.
Prolonged outdoor combat or aimless roaming increases environmental damage risk.

Cold Snap is a seasonal map condition in ARC Raiders that fundamentally reshapes how the game is played. What was once a familiar combat zone becomes a hostile, snowbound environment where survival is as critical as firepower. With reduced visibility, frozen terrain, and the ever-present threat of Frostbite, players must adapt their movement, combat pacing, and extraction planning to endure the cold and succeed in raids.

Cold Snap mechanics in ARC Raiders

Cold Snap introduces an environmental survival layer that directly affects health, movement, and tactical decision-making.

Frostbite mechanic

Frostbite is a passive damage-over-time effect that builds up when players remain exposed to extreme cold. Staying outdoors for extended periods gradually drains health, forcing players to seek indoor shelters or consume healing items. Frostbite does not pause combat, making poor positioning especially punishing during prolonged fights.

Weather and visibility

Heavy snowfall blankets the map, significantly reducing long-range visibility. Enemy silhouettes are harder to track at distance, diminishing the effectiveness of long-range weapons and increasing the importance of mid- to close-range engagements.

Frozen terrain

Water bodies and wet surfaces freeze over during Cold Snap. These frozen areas are slippery and reduce movement control, making them dangerous during combat or evasive maneuvers. Route planning becomes critical to avoid exposure and loss of mobility.

Environmental tracking

Snow-covered ground preserves footprints, allowing players to trace recent movement paths. This adds an indirect tracking mechanic, rewarding awareness while also penalizing careless traversal.

Cold Snap survival tips

Treat shelters as lifelines: Every extended stay outdoors accelerates Frostbite and drains your margin for error.
Heal proactively, not reactively: Frostbite damage stacks quietly and can catch you off-guard mid-fight.
Frozen lakes are death traps: Slipping during combat leaves you exposed and easy to finish.
Commit to an extraction plan early: Wandering in the cold is often deadlier than the enemy.

We hope this Cold Snap map condition guide brought clarity and saved you time. Your feedback means a lot, so feel free to comment with suggestions, ideas, or questions. We monitor the comments closely and try to respond quickly to anyone who needs assistance or further explanation.