Cold Snap in ARC Raiders isn't a cute winter skin job; it changes the way you move, fight, and even think. I've been dropping into the Rust Belt lately and it's wild how fast a "normal" run turns into a slow, careful crawl once the snow rolls in. If you're stocking up before you queue, grabbing ARC Raiders Coins can help you stay flexible with gear choices, because you'll swap builds more than you expect in this weather.

Weather That Actually Fights Back

The first thing you'll notice is visibility. It's not "a bit foggy," it's the kind of whiteout where a doorway vanishes at mid-range and your instincts betray you. You can't just sprint between cover and hope your aim carries it. Stay exposed too long and the chill starts chewing through your health, which forces constant micro-decisions: duck inside now, detour for warmth, or gamble and push. Candleberries become a habit, not a luxury. You end up scanning for that red glow the same way you'd scan for ammo in a normal raid.

Tracks, Ice, and Getting Hunted

Then there's the part nobody can ignore: footprints. In the old rotation you could lose a squad in the clutter, but snow makes every exit a receipt. Follow the tracks and you'll often catch people at the exact moment they relax—checking crates, healing, sorting inventory. But it cuts both ways. If you double back, you're basically drawing arrows for anyone behind you, so you start doing weird little zigzags and indoor loops to break the trail. Frozen water adds another gotcha. It's slick enough that a "clever" flank can turn into a loud slide and an easy beam from someone holding an angle.

Points, Rotation, and Loadout Reality

The reward is obvious: the 2x Trials score multiplier. If you care about climbing, these maps aren't optional. The rotation keeps you guessing too—one run feels like a cramped brawl around ruins, the next is open space with gusts pushing sightlines into chaos. That's why loadouts need to be practical, not just fashionable. Thermal options and anything that helps with target acquisition feel stronger than usual, and you'll probably end up carrying "comfort" items for warmth more often than extra damage toys.

Cosmetics, Controls, and a Faster Way to Gear

I'm not pretending style doesn't matter, because it does. The new winter looks are clean, and the weekly shop refresh means you don't get stuck staring at the same shelf for a month. The ADS toggle on console is a legit quality-of-life boost too; aiming feels less like wrestling your settings and more like reacting to the moment. And with the Skill Tree reset, it's finally painless to fix the choices you made when you didn't know better. If you're tired of scraping for currency while the cold keeps punishing long routes, some players just top up through cheap Raider Tokens so they can focus on learning the snow game instead of repeating the same grind.