ARC Raiders Update 2.3 adds Souls Offering Project and buffs Heavy Shield

October 29, 2026·3 min read

ARC Raiders Update 2.3 introduces the Souls Offering Project, buffs the Heavy Shield and Flame Spray, and adjusts weapon blueprint and loot drops.

Embark Studios has released Update 2.3 for ARC Raiders, introducing the new Souls Offering Player Project alongside another Heavy Shield buff and several changes to weapons, loot and Frozen Trail content.

The update went live on October 27 and requires players to restart the game before downloading it. Embark is also ending its temporary run of weekly fixes, with regular patching returning to a three-week schedule.

Souls Offering adds a new Player Project

An ARC Raiders character in winter gear takes cover beside a concrete wall while another Raider moves through snowy ruined buildings. — Embark Studios

The Souls Offering Project focuses on losses suffered by the different contradas of Toledo. Celeste asks Speranza’s Raiders to create offerings for those who died topside as stories from Pendola Pass continue reaching the settlement.

Players progress through multiple stages by collecting specific resources during raids. Completing the project provides equipment and cosmetic rewards while adding another limited progression objective alongside Frozen Trail activities.

Heavy Shield gets another buff

Update 2.3 increases the Heavy Shield’s base charge from 80 to 90. Embark says usage remains relatively low despite earlier improvements, so the extra charge is intended to improve survivability without making it substantially stronger than the Medium Shield.

The Flame Spray has also been improved, with damage increasing from 10 to 13 per second while durability consumption is cut by 50%. A bug allowing its fire to pass through walls has also been fixed.

The Firefly Burner now activates immediately after hitting a surface and leaves a trail of fire while travelling. It then explodes around three seconds later instead of requiring players to shoot it first.

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Blueprint and loot drops have changed

A Raider aims a weapon at three players below in a sunlit ruined courtyard in ARC Raiders. — Embark Studios

Several valuable weapon blueprints can now appear during any major map condition. The affected weapons include the Dolabra, Bobcat, Equalizer, Jupiter, Tempest and Vulcano, although their overall drop rates have been slightly reduced to offset the wider availability.

Loot distribution inside the Emperor has also changed. Containers near the entrance now generally offer lower-tier rewards, while better loot is positioned deeper inside to reward players willing to take greater risks.

The Frigate follows the same approach, with higher-value rewards more likely in deeper areas. Embark has also improved puzzle feedback, collision, audio cues and long-range pinging.

Update 2.3 includes wider technical fixes

Adrenaline Shots can now be used at full stamina, although multiple doses refresh the effect rather than stacking it. The update also fixes problems involving the Grappling Hook, Pendola Pass, stability and the user interface.

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution has been updated to version 4.1.1, while additional work targets crashes around the Frigate, particularly on Xbox Series S. Store updates will continue weekly as Embark returns its main fix schedule to releases every three weeks.