It appears that a “Toxic Swamp” event is imminent for Arc Raiders. Following the biting frost of the Cold Snap update, the game’s next environmental modifier looks set to submerge players in a hazardous, pestilential mire—a move that feels like a direct homage to the grueling poison bogs made famous by FromSoftware.
Whispers of this swamp-themed modifier have been circulating for several months. Resourceful players managed to unearth these details by manipulating their PC’s system clock, tricking the game into displaying scheduled content far ahead of its official release.
Ahead of the anticipated mid-January rollout, Reddit user InquisitorOverhauls discovered a fresh batch of Raider Trials scheduled for the week of January 19. The primary objective challenges Raiders to “deliver thermal rocks” across a map—likely the Dam Battlegrounds—modified by the “Toxic Swamp” condition.
The leak also identified a separate set of challenges for the following week, beginning January 26. One specific “Toxic Swamp” trial, titled “Clean Air,” tasks players with keeping Air Purifiers powered up to stave off the environmental toxins.
Verification of these findings required a bit of technical finessing. While the game initially refuses to connect to online services if the system date is altered beforehand, adjusting the PC clock after the game has loaded allows players to view the upcoming raider pages. While live-service roadmaps are always subject to change, all signs point to an upcoming expedition into the muck.
The trials suggest that the Toxic Swamp modifier will overhaul the Dam Battlegrounds into a high-stakes, noxious zone featuring unique resources and new interactive hazards. Many players have already taken to calling the rust-colored sectors of the map “Caelid” in a nod to Elden Ring; it turns out those comparisons were more accurate than anyone realized.
In other news, a recent Arc Raiders hotfix has disabled a developer command that was unintentionally accessible to players, as Embark Studios continues its efforts to maintain a level playing field.
Source: gamesradar.com
