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The Rust Belt was never safe—but it was predictable. That ends with Shrouded Sky, the latest major update for ARC Raiders, launching February 24. A violent hurricane tears across the surface with ferocious speed, upending established loot routes, destabilizing Tube systems, and ushering in new ARC threats that demand tactical adaptation.

Speranza’s leadership advises the Raiders to stay below. Visibility is compromised. Equipment isn’t calibrated for sustained gale-force exposure. Flood risks threaten the Tubes. Operationally, it’s irrational to deploy. Naturally, that’s an invitation.

Hurricane Map Condition: Environmental Warfare

The headline feature of Shrouded Sky is the Hurricane map condition, a dynamic environmental modifier that transforms the Rust Belt into a hostile, physics-driven combat zone.

Tactical Impacts

1. Wind Shear and Movement Disruption

High-velocity gusts destabilize traversal, particularly in exposed zones. Engagement timing becomes critical—crossing open terrain during peak gust cycles increases vulnerability.

2. Debris Shield Degradation

Airborne debris actively impacts Raider shields. While shields will “light up” under impact, their effective protection is degraded more rapidly than under standard combat pressure. Defensive loadouts must account for attrition outside direct firefights.

3. Reduced Visibility and Directional Disorientation

Low visibility compresses engagement ranges and distorts spatial awareness. Long-range optics are less reliable. Audio cues and motion tracking become elevated in importance.

High Risk, High Reward

The hurricane isn’t just punishment—it’s an opportunity. First Wave Raider Caches have been unearthed along the surface; previously inaccessible loot nodes are now exposed by storm activity. These caches incentivize surface deployment despite the risk profile. The storm creates volatility. Volatility creates value.

Weather Monitoring System: Project Initiative

The hurricane blindsided even Speranza’s infrastructure planners. As a result, Shani launches a new structured initiative: Project Weather Monitoring System.

Project Mechanics

· Raiders collect specified ARC Raiders materials from topside.

· Contributions build out system features incrementally.

· Participants earn rewards tied to material delivery milestones.

This mechanic adds a collaborative progression loop layered over traditional looting and combat. It also introduces strategic decision-making: prioritize personal gain, or invest in long-term infrastructure benefits?

New ARC Threats: Firefly and Comet

Shrouded Sky introduces two distinct ARC machines that alter combat pacing and positioning logic.

Firefly – Aerial Area Denial

The Firefly is an armored, airborne ARC unit equipped with a sustained flame jet. Its threat profile includes:

· Vertical dominance

· Persistent burn damage

· Forced displacement mechanics

Counterplay requires mobility and environmental awareness. Static positions become liabilities. Hardcover becomes essential. Loadouts emphasizing agility and anti-air capabilities gain value.

Comet – Proximity Detonation Specialist

The Comet presents a contrasting threat. A spherical ARC machine, it patrols passively—until target acquisition.

Once it detects a Raider:

· It locks on with high commitment.

· It closes the distance deliberately.

· It detonates with a seismic explosion in proximity.

The Comet punishes complacency and poor spatial discipline. Close-quarters engagements now carry amplified risk when patrol patterns intersect combat zones.

Free Raider Deck: Surgeon

The Shrouded Sky update introduces the Surgeon Raider Deck, a structured progression track built around Cred earned by completing Feats topside.

Thematic Identity

The Surgeon embodies:

· Precision

· Focus

· Composure under pressure

Cosmetic progression gradually unlocks the full Surgeon aesthetic, allowing players to decide whether to lean into clinical detachment—or something more unhinged. The Dr. Jekyll versus Mr. Hyde duality is deliberate.

This deck provides a free advancement pathway, reinforcing active surface play during hurricane conditions.

Facial Hair Customization

Character identity expands with the introduction of facial hair options:

· Stubble – Immediately available to all players.

· Full Beard – Unlockable via the Surgeon Raider Deck.

· Stubble Beard and Thick Moustache – Available in-store from February 24.

Cosmetics remain optional, but visual distinction in squad-based extraction environments enhances psychological presence. In a storm where visibility is compromised, silhouette matters.

Dam Battlegrounds: Controlled Access Zone

The Dam Battlegrounds map receives a structural expansion. A high-security sector—the Controlled Access Zone—has been uncovered.

What to Expect

· High-value loot concentration

· Elevated contest probability

· Distinct visual landmark: the Rocketeer chandelier

The Controlled Access Zone introduces a focused PvPvE hotspot, likely to become a primary conflict corridor in early Shrouded Sky deployment cycles.

New Cosmetic Bundles

Content updates are incomplete without cosmetic reinforcement. Shrouded Sky introduces:

· The Volare Set – Built for charging into hostile weather.

· The Devotee Set – Designed to obscure identity and project mystique.

· New Backpack Set

· New Raider Tool Set

These bundles reinforce thematic cohesion with the storm narrative while expanding personalization options.

Strategic Implications of Shrouded Sky

From a systems perspective, Shrouded Sky does more than add content—it recalibrates surface risk modeling.

· Environmental hazards now compete with ARC threats as primary damage sources.

· Loot incentives scale with meteorological volatility.

· New enemy archetypes diversify combat geometry.

· Infrastructure projects create collaborative objectives beyond extraction loops.

The hurricane isn’t a background effect—it’s an active combatant.

For Raiders willing to defy clearance protocols, February 24 marks the beginning of a new operational paradigm. The Rust Belt is shrouded. The sky is hostile. And somewhere in the fog, something new is watching.