20 February 2026

ARC Raiders’ Shrouded Sky Update Is Finally Giving Fans a Massively Requested Feature

By newsgame

The highly anticipated Shrouded Sky update for ARC Raiders, which is set to launch on Tuesday, February 24, will seemingly add one of the community’s most requested features: facial hair. Developer Embark Studios has yet to fully pull back the curtain on this month’s new ARC Raiders content update, but a promotional image for Shrouded Sky features a new skin rocking a full beard, something fans have been asking for ever since the shooter launched late last year.

Earlier this year, Embark revealed the first half of its 2026 roadmap for ARC Raiders, confirming four major content updates for the first half of the year. The first, known as Headwinds, launched back in January and added a controversial new matchmaking option for anybody willing to go up against a full team while solo, a new map condition for Buried City, and the new Trophy Display Project. The studio is now gearing up to release its second of the four confirmed updates, known as Shrouded Sky, which will be available next week for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

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ARC Raiders Is Finally Adding Beards Next Week

With the release of ARC Raiders‘ Shrouded Sky update inching closer and closer, Embark has begun revealing new details about the content included in the free patch. Although the new ARC enemy releasing with Shrouded Sky still remains a mystery, the studio has given fans more information about the Hurricane map condition alongside a new teaser trailer. However, it is at the very end of the trailer that seemingly reveals the addition of a brand-new feature: beards. As this is something that has been available in Embark’s other popular shooter, The Finals, fans have been begging the studio to make the customization option available in ARC Raiders for months now. It’s unclear if the update will add multiple facial hair options or if it will simply be the one seen at the end of the trailer.

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Fans eager to jump into Shrouded Sky don’t have long to wait, as the update is set to go live in just a few days time. While there will likely be tons of new content, bug fixes, and general improvements, the biggest addition revealed so far is the new Hurrice map condition. Similar to Cold Snap, it appears as though Hurricane will be available on the majority of ARC Raiders‘ maps, such as Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and more. According to a recent blog post, the new map condition will include “several intense gameplay challenges.”

The first of these is the wind, which will drastically change the way players navigate Topside. Those who are traveling in the same direction as the wind will feel “fast and nimble,” but anybody who is attempting to go against the wind will be slower and drain their stamina much quicker. Throwable items, such as Trigger Nades, will also behave differently, meaning players will have to learn the trajectory of the wind and throw items accordingly. Embark says the Hurricane will also kick up dirt and debris from the surface, which can damage a player’s shield if caught in the onslaught.

Those eager to see a new map added to ARC Raiders still have a couple of months left to go, as Embark has confirmed that April’s Riven Tides update will see the addition of a new large ARC enemy, a new map, and another new map condition. Before them, however, the third major ARC Raiders content update of 2026 will arrive in March, known as Flashpoint. According to the game’s roadmap, fans can once again expect to see a new map condition, a new ARC threat, another Player Project, and more.