ARC Raiders 2.0 Adds Backpack Light Toggle, Bigger Stash and More Quality of Life Changes

ARC Raiders has received its 2.0 update, bringing a broad collection of smaller gameplay improvements alongside the larger Frozen Trails content already introduced to the extraction shooter.

The update includes several quality of life changes that directly affect exploration, stealth and inventory management. Players can now disable the glowing lights on their backpacks, open the map while downed and store more items in their stash.

Embark Studios has also added new contextual animations and visual details intended to make character movement and communication feel more natural.

Backpack Lights Can Finally Be Turned Off

One of the more practical changes is a new emissive toggle for backpacks.

Until now, backpack lighting could make characters more visible while moving through dark or exposed environments. The new option lets you switch those lights off, which should be useful when trying to remain less noticeable while scavenging.

It is a small change compared with the major systems introduced in Frozen Trails, but it directly affects how players approach stealth and movement.

ARC Raiders 2.0 change	What it does
Backpack emissive toggle	Lets you turn backpack lights off
Map access while downed	Allows you to check the map after being incapacitated
Maximum stash size	Increased to 328 without expedition bonuses
Proximity chat animation	Characters now animate their mouths while speaking
Contextual movement updates	Adds more appropriate animations for different actions
Sprint exhaustion	Characters visually appear more tired after prolonged sprinting

The update also introduces mouth animations when players speak through proximity chat.

That change does not alter gameplay, but it adds another visual cue during interactions with nearby players.

Downed Players Can Now Access the Map

Another useful adjustment allows you to open the map while downed.

That can help players communicate positions, extraction routes or nearby points of interest to teammates even when they are temporarily unable to move normally.

The maximum stash size has also increased to 328 slots before any expedition bonuses are applied.

For a game built around collecting equipment and resources, additional storage should reduce some of the pressure to constantly discard or reorganize items between runs.

Embark has also expanded contextual animations. Characters should now react more naturally to specific situations, including appearing visibly exhausted after sprinting for an extended period.

Frozen Trails Has Given ARC Raiders a Larger Overhaul

Version 2.0 arrives alongside the broader Frozen Trails update, which significantly expands the game.

The update introduces snowy environments, grappling hooks and other new systems that change how players move through the world.

Those larger additions are likely to receive most of the attention, but the smaller patch note changes can have an equally noticeable effect during repeated sessions.

Extraction shooters depend heavily on inventory management, movement, map awareness and interactions with other players, so even modest improvements can become important over dozens of runs.

The ability to turn off a visible backpack light is a good example. It does not create a new activity or weapon, but it removes a small frustration that can matter when trying to avoid attracting attention.

Player Activity Has Increased Around the Update

ARC Raiders has also seen an increase in average player activity around the release of Frozen Trails.

A free weekend running alongside the update is likely contributing to that increase, giving returning and new players an opportunity to try the latest version of the game.

The stronger activity arrives as Embark continues experimenting with the direction of ARC Raiders.

Alongside the Frozen Trails content and version 2.0 improvements, the studio is also testing ideas such as dedicated PvE experiences.

For now, update 2.0 focuses heavily on refinement. Larger additions such as the new frozen environments and grappling systems expand the game, while changes like the backpack light toggle, larger stash and improved animations make everyday play more convenient.