Embark Studios is bringing a powerful new Hurricane map condition to its popular extraction shooter, Arc Raiders, with the upcoming "Shrouded Sky" content update. This major update, set to launch on February 24, 2026, will introduce intense environmental challenges including strong winds, flying debris, and reduced visibility, forcing players to adapt their strategies across maps like Spaceport in the game's southern Italy setting.[arcraiders+9]
Navigating the Tempest's Fury
The new Hurricane condition will significantly alter how players move and fight on the surface. Strong winds will directly impact player movement. Running with a tailwind will give raiders a speed boost, making escapes or rapid traversals faster. Conversely, pushing against a headwind will slow movement and quickly drain stamina, making direct assaults or retreats much harder.[arcraiders+11]
Projectile physics will also change dramatically. Thrown items like grenades, smoke bombs, and gas canisters will have their trajectories altered by the wind's intensity and direction. Players will need to master these new physics, accounting for wind speed and direction when aiming. Even jumping will be affected by the hurricane's force, adding another layer of challenge to navigation and combat.[arcraiders+9]
Environmental Dangers and Shield Malfunctions
Beyond wind effects, raiders must contend with dangerous debris whipped up by the gale-force winds. Dirt, dust, and small projectiles will constantly fly across the map. These airborne hazards can strike player shields, causing them to glitch and spark. This damage degrades the shield and makes players more visible to hostile ARC robots and rival raiders, creating a tactical dilemma.[arcraiders+11]
Players may choose to temporarily disable their shields to avoid detection, but this leaves them more vulnerable to direct attacks. The studio suggests that low visibility, caused by thick clouds and fog, can be used to a raider's advantage for stealthy approaches if they are shieldless. However, the reduced sightlines also make it harder to spot incoming ARC threats, increasing the overall danger on the surface.[arcraiders+6]
Opportunities Amidst the Chaos
Despite the heightened risks, the Hurricane map condition also presents unique opportunities for resourceful players. The powerful winds are rumored to unearth hidden "First Wave Caches." These rare containers, buried underground, contain valuable loot and ancient relics that are not typically accessible. Braving the storm for these high-level rewards introduces a compelling risk-versus-reward dynamic.[arcraiders+7]
The "Shrouded Sky" update is more than just a weather event. It is expected to introduce a new ARC enemy threat and a Raider Deck update. It will also bring a highly requested feature to the game: facial hair options for character customization, including beards.[ign+2]
Arc Raiders: A Dystopian Extraction Shooter
Arc Raiders is a dystopian extraction shooter developed and published by the Swedish studio Embark Studios. The game, built on Unreal Engine 5, launched on October 30, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. It allows players to venture into a dangerous future Earth ravaged by mechanized threats known as ARC.[en+5]
Embark Studios, founded in 2018 by industry veterans including Patrick Söderlund, is also known for developing The Finals. Arc Raiders itself was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies and reaching 960,000 concurrent players since its release. The game transitioned from a planned free-to-play cooperative shooter to a paid PvPvE extraction shooter during its development, a change revealed in 2023.[en+1]
Evolving Environmental Challenges
The Hurricane condition is the latest in a series of dynamic weather events and map modifiers that Embark Studios has introduced to Arc Raiders. Previous updates brought challenges such as Electromagnetic Storms, which affected electronics, and wintery Cold Snap conditions, which introduced snow and survival mechanics like frostbite. The "Headwinds" update in January 2026 also added the "Bird City" map condition and a solo versus squads queue option.
These evolving environmental hazards are a core part of the game's design, keeping gameplay fresh and unpredictable. The "Shrouded Sky" update, with its severe hurricane, promises to be one of the most impactful weather events yet, requiring players to re-evaluate their tactics and loadouts.
Embark Studios continues to expand the world of Arc Raiders, with a roadmap that includes future updates like "Flashpoint" in March and "Riven Tides" in April, the latter promising a brand-new map. These ongoing content additions ensure the game world remains dynamic and challenging for its player base. The "Shrouded Sky" update is poised to deliver a thrilling and dangerous new chapter for raiders when it arrives on February 24.[ign]
