Arc Raiders New Map Event Shrouded Sky Overview: Start Date, Exact Time & Details

The Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky release date is Tuesday, February 24, 2026. This update introduces the Hurricane map condition, which adds high winds, low visibility, and flying debris to the environment. A new cosmetic option, beards, will also become available for raiders. The update includes a new ARC threat, a new player project, and a new Raider Deck. This is the second major update in the Escalation series, following January's Headwinds.

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Start Date: Time Zones

The Shrouded Sky update is expected to go live at 4:30 a.m. EST. While Embark Studios ha not officially announced the exact time, this follows the pattern of previous major updates for the game. Players can prepare for the new content to become available at that time across various regions.

• 1:30 a.m. PST for the west coast of North America
• 4:30 a.m. EST for the East Coast of North America
• 6:30 a.m. BRT for Brazil
• 9:30 a.m. GMT for the United Kingdom
• 10:30 a.m. CET for Western Europe
• 11:30 a.m. GMT+2 for Kyiv
• 6:30 p.m. JST for Japan
• 8:30 p.m. AEDT for the east coast of Australia

This release schedule ensures the update rolls out globally, allowing players from different time zones to access the new content simultaneously. The Hurricane map condition is expected to be a featured element for several weeks before it is added to the regular map rotation. I see this as a significant content drop for the community. The Expedition Window will also open with this update, offering new challenges.

What's New In Shrouded Sky - Overview

Shrouded Sky is the February installment on the game's roadmap and delivers a substantial amount of new content. It is part of the larger Escalation series of updates planned for the first half of the year, which includes Headwinds in January, Flashpoint in March, and Riven Tides in April. This update continues to build on the foundation of the game with a variety of new elements.

The update introduces a new map condition called Hurricane. This weather event will challenge players with strong winds that can either boost speed when moving with a tailwind or slow movement when running against it. I do believe this will change how players navigate the map. The winds will also affect the trajectory of thrown items.

Visibility will be significantly reduced during the Hurricane, making it harder for both players and ARC enemies to spot each other. The high winds will kick up debris that can cause shields to glitch and spark, making it risky to keep them equipped. The storm also uncovers First Wave Caches, rewarding those who brave the dangerous conditions with valuable loot.

A highly requested customization feature arrives with Shrouded Sky: beards. The addition was teased in the official announcement trailer for the update. It is not yet clear if these will be available as event-exclusive items or if they will be added to the in-game shop for purchase with Raider Coins.

Arc Raiders Previous Update

The prior update, Headwinds, was released on January 27 and introduced the Solo vs Squads mode. This option allows level 40 solo players to enter the squad matchmaking queue for a +20% XP bonus per raid. It also brought a new permanent map condition to Buried City called Bird City, where flocks of birds nest in chimneys and store loot, encouraging more vertical combat. Patch 1.13.0 also added the Trophy Display, a long-term progression project where players defeat ARC and submit parts to unlock rewards. Finally, the Headwinds update expanded the game's PvE content with seven new quests and two new types of Epic augments for more build diversity.