Recently, Arc Raiders has revealed some content from Riven Tides update. According to the original roadmap, we'll see a new map, new map conditions, new enemies, and a new expedition window this April. So when will we officially see it?
The developer has announced that the game update will be released on April 28th. This developer tends to release update content at the end of the month. Update notes detailing new features and changes will likely be published a few days prior.
So what exactly will Riven Tides update include? If you're interested, check out this guide; it has everything you need.
New Map
The new map for Arc Raiders Riven Tides is expected to be a terrain interwoven with sand dunes, cliffs, and city ruins, located in the lower left corner of Rust Belt, below Buried City. It will introduce a vast coastal biome, bringing players a completely new experience.
The new map is the most anticipated content of this update and is also the first coastal map. According to the official concept art, the abandoned ruins resemble flowers blooming on the sea, captivating the viewer; scattered boulders on the battlefield seem like relics from ancient times.
It's also worth noting that the new map's architecture is highly vertical, facilitating player movement using ziplines and grappling hooks, consistent with common player movement habits. Imagine quickly navigating a beach filled with ancient ruins using ziplines and grappling hooks, and sniping enemies.
Furthermore, the new map appears to include not only underground areas but also water highways. Many players speculate that Riven Tides is adding water-related gameplay, perhaps even water-based combat facilities. We can only wonder: will falling into the water result in instant death, or is swimming possible?
New Large ARC Threat
A major highlight of this update is the addition of a new large ARC threat, reportedly the largest ARC enemy to date.
While there's no official confirmation yet, player community speculation suggests two possibilities for the new ARC enemy: The Emperor. Based on in-game storylines, it appears as a sinister pawn, gradually approaching The Blue Gate. Or perhaps it's Bishop, which appeared in the pre-release video. It's a giant spider-legged robot and should be a powerful enemy, but it has never officially joined the game, perhaps because it's too powerful. But we may soon be facing it.
This Large ARC Threat is not only new, but also unknown. Some players have complained on forums that they are already very familiar with and even bored with the existing ARC enemies. No worries, the new ARC enemy will bring a completely new gameplay experience. Therefore, you'll need to prepare powerful ARC Raiders Items to fight them.
While many players are eagerly awaiting more information, the developers seem to intend to announce it at the last minute, which is consistent with their usual practice. Let's wait and see!
New Map Condition
Embark revealed that a brand new map condition will be introduced, but did not elaborate on its name or gameplay. Perhaps we'll have to wait until the last minute to find out.
Players have begun speculating about the new map condition, suggesting it might be related to the map's features, such as the coastal geography and climate, or even new water-based gameplay.
The coastal setting inevitably brings to mind humid weather and sudden typhoons… Perhaps players will experience a random slowing of movement and jump speed due to the weather? Or perhaps their actions will be disrupted by randomly occurring typhoons? Or maybe they'll suffer random poisoning effects?
Or, due to the complexity of the ruins, the new map condition might randomly obstruct the player's view or block some roads?
Just like in Shrouded Sky, where players faced random hurricanes, powerful and unpredictable hurricanes were once considered the most terrifying condition, affecting not only movement speed and jump distance but also reducing visibility.
Since there's never been a coastal map before, we can only speculate about its specifics from various angles, but regardless, the new map condition will undoubtedly bring more fun and challenge to players.
Expedition 3 Window
Expedition 3 Window is coming soon. Similar to Expedition 2, it will still allow players to reset their characters, acquire in-game ARC Raiders Items and buffs, obtain new Raider Cosmetics, provide additional stash space, new cosmetics, and more. However, the ability to exchange stash value and gold for skill points has been removed.
Furthermore, there is a significant change: players will gain five additional skill points by dealing damage during the five-day Expedition Window. In previous Expedition windows, players could only obtain additional skill points through Stash Value and Coins after the expedition ended.
Expedition 3 Window will provide a great opportunity for players who want to try out other characters or enhance their existing ones. It's worth noting that this expedition will still require you to deliver certain materials to NPCs to advance the expedition, so please prepare the necessary ARC Raiders Items before it begins.
The above summarizes the main content of the upcoming Riven Tides update, sparking heated discussions among players. Some believe the update will further expand the game's player base, while others worry that the new content won't meet their expectations.
However, almost all players are closely watching April 28th update and eagerly awaiting more information from the developers. What are your thoughts or expectations for the new content? Or is there anything you don't understand? Please let us know!
