The upcoming Shrouded Sky update for Arc Raiders ushers in the next evolution of the game, and that includes facial hair. Developer Embark Studios has announced that the update, which releases on February 24, allows players to “become feared with a beard,” as the studio put it.
Players will be able to deck out their solider with stubble when the update arrives at no extra cost, but to get a full beard, players will need to spend real money. Players will be able to get a full beard with the Surgeon Raider Deck, or the Stubble Beard or Thick Moustache from the in-game store. Pricing was not announced, but with the update going live this week, that information should become clear soon.
You can see a pretty epic full beard in the image below.
The Shrouded Sky update also brings a storm to the game, reducing visibility and adding “gnashing winds” to the experience.
“The wind will batter you, debris will light up your shield while degrading its protection, and visibility will scatter your sense of direction,” Embark said.
Additionally, the NPC Shani will give players a new quest that calls on them to collect materials to build a weather monitoring system. Players can earn rewards for building the device.
Additionally, the update adds to more Arc machines that players will square off against. The Firefly is described as a “floating nightmare,” and it emits deadly flames. The Comet, meanwhile, floats along the world’s surface peacefully until players get to close, and then it begins to attack.
Arc Raiders launched in October 2025 and has sold more than 12 million copies. The $40 game is holding impressively steady on Steam, too, reaching more than 200,000 concurrent players still today.
The success of the game prompted Hollywood to come calling, and Embark is now working on multiple new games.