In Short
- ARC Raiders is free to play from October 8 at 09:00 UTC to October 12 at 08:00 UTC, which is 2:30 PM IST Thursday to 1:30 PM IST Monday.
- The free window covers the full game on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation, according to Embark Studios.
- It opens on the same day as Frozen Trail, the update that adds the snowy Pendola Pass map. New players can enter it right away if they squad up with someone who has unlocked it.
ARC Raiders costs nothing for four days starting this Thursday. Embark Studios says in its official free play announcement that the full game opens to everyone on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation from October 8 to October 12. That lines up with Frozen Trail, the studio’s biggest update since launch, so new players get the new content on day one instead of waiting for a sale.
The free window opens at 2:30 PM IST on Thursday
Embark gives the window in UTC. Here is what that means in a few major time zones:
- India: Thursday, October 8, 2:30 PM IST until Monday, October 12, 1:30 PM IST
- US: October 8, 5 AM ET / 2 AM PT until October 12, 4 AM ET / 1 AM PT
- UK: October 8, 10 AM BST until October 12, 9 AM BST
- Central Europe: October 8, 11 AM CEST until October 12, 10 AM CEST
The Frozen Trail update itself reportedly rolls out an hour earlier, at 08:00 UTC (1:30 PM IST), according to regional schedules shared by GoRanked and AltChar. Embark has not posted an exact patch time on its news page, so expect a short gap between the update going live and the free access starting.
Embark’s post names only Steam, Xbox and PlayStation. It does not mention the Epic Games Store, so if you usually play there, check before Thursday.
Play free while you wait
Thursday still two days away? Get some shooting in right in your browser, no download:
- Krunker.io: quick first-person shooter matches, free online
- Stick Merge: merge weapons and clear short missions
New players can jump straight into Pendola Pass with a squad
Frozen Trail’s main addition is Pendola Pass, a vertical mountain map beyond the Rust Belt. Embark’s Frozen Trail preview says it comes with Flash Freeze storms that sweep across the map, Avalanche Shelters to wait them out, and a Ballistic Gondola that squads have to call in and board.
New maps usually stay locked until you progress. Embark says free players can skip that if they team up with a friend who has already unlocked Pendola Pass. If you have a friend who owns the game, that is the quickest way to see the new map during the free days.
The update also adds three ARC enemy types (Bully, Skulker and Hydra), Outposts as an extension of the Raider Den, weapon amplification, a reworked Skill Tree and a 60-level Reward Pass for the new season. Embark says free play grants the full game. The premium track of the Reward Pass is tied to the paid Frozen Trail Collector Set DLC.
What to do before Thursday
- Pick your platform and make sure you have room for the install. Expect the Frozen Trail patch on top of the base game.
- Plan your sessions for Thursday afternoon to Sunday night in India. Access closes at 1:30 PM IST on Monday.
- If you are new, find a friend who owns the game and has unlocked Pendola Pass, so you can enter the new map on day one.
The short version: ARC Raiders and Frozen Trail are free from 2:30 PM IST on October 8 until 1:30 PM IST on October 12. Until then, a round of Krunker.io on Gipcus is a quick way to warm up your aim.
