Outsmart the Cold Snap: 5 Essential Tactics to Survive the Snow in ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders just pulled the classic 'new season, new game' trick. The Cold Snap update turned topside runs into a three-way fight: you vs ARC machines, rival Raiders, and now the weather itself. It looks great, but it actually changes how you play.

What Cold Snap actually does

Cold Snap isn't just a snow filter. It messes with the moment-to-moment in real ways across Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and Blue Gate. Expect:

• Reduced visibility in the storm
• Slippery footing on frozen water
• Frostbite if you linger outdoors too long

The frostbite timer, demystified

The cold starts building the second you step outside, but it doesn't hurt right away. You have roughly two minutes before it even begins chipping your health. When it does kick in, it's a steady, predictable trickle of damage — no sudden spikes. The real danger is losing track of time while looting or mid-gunfight and realizing you're already bleeding from the cold and incoming fire at the same time.

Shelter 101: think roofs, not just walls

Shelter is your best defense against Cold Snap, but the game is picky about what counts. Anything with a solid roof and some real enclosure generally works — parking structures, field depots, even some weird overhangs. Other spots that look safe won't actually warm you up.

The game tells you when you're safe two ways: the snow stops collecting on your Raider and starts fading, and your character literally exhales in relief. Step back into the storm and you'll hear a sharp inhale. Even 25–30 seconds under cover can buy you another minute or more outside, which is huge when you're planning a route between objectives.

Use the cues the game hands you

Your character is basically a walking thermometer. Snow first crusts over your head and shoulders, then creeps down to your legs, and after around a minute you look fully powdered. By the time you're covered head to toe, you should already be moving to your next warm spot. There's also a distinct audio cue around the one-minute mark in the open — treat it like an alarm. Be aware: those breaths and cues can give away your position in quiet moments, so they're useful for you and for anyone listening nearby. And yes, while you're juggling all that, the event has you hunting Candleberries. Multitasking is part of the fun, I guess.

Healing buys time — it doesn't clear frostbite

Once the cold starts ticking, healing keeps you on your feet long enough to reach cover. Basic bandages offset the frostbite drain better than you'd expect, and higher-tier medical items do even more. Burning Fabric just to patch yourself up is a bad trade unless you're out of everything else. Remember: no heal actually removes the frostbite buildup. You're still on a timer until you warm up, which is why getting shot while the cold is ticking is where runs go sideways. Bring extra bandages on snow maps.

Yes, setting yourself on fire clears it (for real)

This is the weird one, and it's absolutely a thing: actually catching on fire instantly wipes your frostbite buildup and resets your outdoor timer. You'll take burn damage and probably chew through some shield durability, but you get another full window in the cold. Fire sprays, blaze grenades, or environmental flames all work. Don't make it a habit, but if you're pinned far from shelter, it can save the run.

So, is Cold Snap a W?

Once you learn the rhythm — track your time outside, hop roof to roof, heal smart, keep a heat source in your back pocket — the winter maps stop feeling like a punishment and start adding another layer of strategy. Also, it genuinely looks fantastic. Some players already want the snow to be permanent rather than just a Cold Snap condition, and I get it.

How are you feeling about it so far — W or L? Tell me how your first blizzard run went.