The Official "Cold Snap" Stats Are Here, and You Guys Are Absolute Maniacs
If you thought you were wasting time during the holidays, wait until you see what the ARC Raiders community just accomplished.
The folks over at Embark Studios just dropped the official post-mortem on the "Cold Snap" winter event, and honestly, I don't know whether to be impressed or concerned. The event, which ran from mid-December to mid-January, covered the Rust Belt in a lethal layer of snow and introduced a frostbite mechanic that absolutely wrecked the unprepared. But instead of just surviving, you lot decided to turn a tactical extraction shooter into a snowball fight deathmatch.
The Freeze Frame: More Than Just a Reskin
Let's look at the context before we laugh at the numbers. "Cold Snap" wasn't just a white texture pack slapped onto some of the maps. It introduced genuine survival pressure with the temperature mechanics, forcing players to seek cover (even if just a shitty shed) or risk freezing to death. It changed the flow of the game, making the usually frantic extraction process even more calculated.
However, based on the data Embark shared, a massive chunk of the player base ignored the tactical nuance entirely and just wanted to throw ice at killer robots. When you look at the sheer volume of "Candleberry Banquets" served (1 million), it shows that despite the lethal environment, the community was rather quite focused on the cozy, role-playing elements of the event.
The Snowball Effect
I have seen some wild stats in my time covering shooters, but these numbers are specific in a way that highlights just how bored, or creative, high-level players can get. We are talking about global ammunition shortages being solved by packing snow into spheres.
Here is the full breakdown of the chaos:
The Guitar Hero Phenomenon
I need to circle back to one specific stat because it is breaking my brain. 108 Raiders played instruments for more than 20 minutes without stopping.
Do you know how long 20 minutes is in an extraction shooter? That is an eternity. That is over 60% of the entire match cycle. While squads were fighting for their lives against ARC machines and freezing temperatures, 108 bards were just sitting on a rock strumming a guitar. This level of dedication to the bit is exactly why I love this community, even if I hate getting matched with you when I'm trying to actually complete an objective.
Frostbite and Fireworks
On the flip side, the 3.5 million knockouts due to the cold prove that we are not as smart as we think we are. The mechanics were clear: get cold, die. Yet, millions of Raiders turned into popsicles. It suggests that a lot of players either underestimated the survival mechanics or got too greedy chasing another raider to find a little shed to warm up in.
And let's not forget the noise pollution. You guys fired 2.9 million fireworks and threw 9.2 million firecrackers. In a game where stealth is often key to survival, announcing your position to the entire lobby with bright lights and loud bangs is a bold strategy. It turned the grim atmosphere of ARC Raiders into a chaotic New Year's Eve party.
With "Cold Snap" now in the rear-view mirror, the rumor mill is already churning about a "Toxic Swamp" event coming next. If you struggled with the cold, I can’t wait to see how you handle poison gas. Get your hazmat suits ready.
Got a hot take on this? I know you do. Head over to r/neonlightsmedia to discuss it.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
