Unlike most games where seasons are strictly defined, the seasonal turnover in ARC Raiders isn't the primary form of content update; instead, it is closely linked to the expedition mechanic, a gameplay loop that resets periodically. That said, seasons in ARC Raiders are certainly significant. Weekly Trials generally operate on a seasonal cycle, and the arrival of a new season marks the final tallying of rewards from the previous season's Weekly Trials. The launch window for Expedition 4 is now open, coinciding with the debut of Trials Season 5. Here is an overview of the changes this new season brings to ARC Raiders and how you can work towards unlocking new trials rewards over the coming two-plus months. Season 5 duration The season began at 12:00 UTC on July 7, 2026, alongside the opening of Expedition 4 launch window. Until July 21, you can earn permanent Raider Tokens and a random blueprint that remains available for use throughout Season 5. Season 5 itself runs until September 30, at which point the launch window for Expedition 5 is expected to open. However, given that a major official update is anticipated in October, the timing for future season or expedition updates may be subject to change. Trials Season 4 final rewards ARC Raiders introduces new Weekly Trials almost every week, with each set comprising five tasks that have distinct requirements. The higher the rating you achieve on an individual task, the better your rewards, potentially including brand-new ARC Raiders blueprints. At the end of a Trials Season, your performance across all Weekly Trials during that cycle determines your standing on the global player leaderboard, and you are awarded outfit rewards based on that rank. There are six ranks in total: the top two are Hotshot and Cantina Legend, while the other four ranks each feature three sub-ranks. The final reward for Trials Season 4 is Blindspot Set; the higher your rank, the more variants of the set you can unlock: Tryhard II: Blindspot Outfit Navy Blue color Tryhard III: Hat Outfit Variant Wildcard I: Padding Outfit Variant Wildcard II: Jacket Outfit Variant Wildcard III: Mask Outfit Variant Hotshot: Blindspot Outfit Green color Cantina Legend: Blindspot Outfit Beige Black color How to participate in Season 5? As previously mentioned, a seasonal update in ARC Raiders simply signals the start of a new Trials cycle and the finalization of rewards from the previous one. Essentially, participating in the new season means taking the new expedition and every Weekly Trial seriously. Season 5 starting trial rank When the new season begins, your rank on the trials leaderboard won't simply reset to the lowest tier (Rookie I); instead, it is re-evaluated based on your Season 4 rank. Your initial Season 5 rank will likely be two tiers lower than your final Season 4 rank. In other words, performing well in the previous season gives you a head start in the new ARC Raiders season, helping you reach the top Cantina Legend rank faster than others. Complete every weekly trial Starting with Trials Season 4, ARC Raiders allows Weekly Trials to be undertaken during the active Expedition window. Consequently, with Season 5 launched this Tuesday, July 7th, the first trial of the new cycle began immediately. Season 5 Week 1 trial runs until next Tuesday, July 13th. Subsequent Season 5 Weekly Trials are expected to update on Tuesdays as well, so make sure to check that you've completed all your trial objectives by Monday. Complete Expedition 4 Window This deployment window lasts for two weeks; during this time, you must deal a sufficient amount of damage to unlock new permanent rewards. Of course, some rewards are granted simply for participating in the window. It is worth noting that most Weekly Trial objectives require you to fight ARCs; the more enemies you destroy, the better your rating. You can therefore combine Expedition 4 requirements with your Weekly Trials over these two weeks. For instance, three of this week's five trial objectives require you to destroy specific types of ARCs. To maximize damage output, you should either target large groups of small enemies or focus on large, high-health ARCs. Prepare for Expedition 5 Expedition 5 is expected to launch once Expedition 4 window concludes. Expeditions typically consist of a preparation phase and an active window phase. The preparation phase is further divided into 4–5 stages, each requiring you to gather specific materials. You must meet these collection requirements to qualify for Expedition 5 window, which opens in a few months, thereby gaining a significant boost for your future progression in the game. Most of these materials aren't difficult to find; simply search for high-frequency spawn locations based on the material type. Some items can also be obtained by trading with NPCs. Trials Season 5 final rewards Just like in previous ARC Raiders seasons, rewards for Season 5 will be awarded after the season ends on September 30, based on the trial rank you achieved. To give you something to strive for, these rewards have been revealed in advance! In addition to Scorta set and its various variants, Trials Season 5 rewards include: Backpack Green Bruiser Backpack Charm Pressure Gauge Backpack attachment Hydraulic Pump Emote Come at me Other new content in Update 1.36.0 Expedition 4 Window and Season 5 were added to the game yesterday via Update 1.36.0, which also introduced other upcoming content to look forward to. You can now experience independent and more precise matchmaking algorithms for Solo, Duo, and Trio modes in ARC Raiders. Your playstyle in one mode will no longer affect your matchmaking experience in the others. Previously, if you enjoyed both casual solo play and aggressive team-based gameplay, the former could result in being matched with friendly players, making it difficult to get the intense PvP experience you wanted in Duos or Trios. Now, these modes operate independently. Additionally, Update 1.36.0 brings a crossover event with THE FINALS, running from July 9 to July 30. During this period, you can earn exclusive outfit rewards just by playing the game! That covers all the key information you need to know about ARC Raiders Trials Season 5. Go ahead and tackle the new trials and expedition window! Rich spoils await the bravest Raiders!

Players, you've probably already experienced Winter Season of Series 2 in Forza Horizon 6. Everyone's been eager to experience the snowy landscapes and nighttime driving, as these elements provided players with a truly delightful experience in FH4. Many exclaimed that driving in the snow during Winter Season was simply perfect. So, does Winter Season in FH6 still deliver that amazing performance? FH4 Winter Season that Everyone Misses Winter Season is considered by many players to be the most recognizable and immersive season in Forza Horizon series. In FH4, snow actually piled up on the roads, significantly reducing road grip. Visibility was drastically reduced because of the snowstorm. The entire map felt like it had undergone a complete transformation, not just a change to a colder color filter. No one can resist driving through a swirling snowstorm at night, headlights piercing the darkness and snow curtain; the atmosphere and emotional impact are unmatched by later installments. Moreover, Winter Season wasn't just about visual changes; it also altered the player's vehicle handling. Rear-wheel drive cars became more difficult to steer on icy roads, forcing players to seriously consider switching to snow tires or four-wheel drive. This forced strategic adjustments because of environmental changes added depth and enjoyment to the racing game. Even more noteworthy was the unique social environment Winter Season provided. For example, lakes on the map froze over in the freezing cold, forming wide, flat ice surfaces that attracted large numbers of players in off-road vehicles or rally cars, either competing or simply having fun. This social and gaming atmosphere seemed unique to Winter Season. In FH4, Winter Season was a significant event, altering player driving behavior, route selection, and even the way players communicated. FH6 Winter Season Now we've arrived at Winter Season in FH6, and the feeling is noticeably different. While snow still falls, and roadside vegetation and buildings are covered in a layer of white, the actual driving experience is almost identical to other seasons. The snow you see seems merely decorative in Winter Season, as your vehicle doesn't experience significant slippage, requires no conscious adjustment to driving rhythm, and even the impact of tire temperature changes is negligible. Of course, racing tracks need to be cleared of snow for fairness, but why are non-racing roads also cleared so thoroughly? Players used to enjoy the thrill of carefully driving on snow-covered, remote roads, but FH6 seems to have lost the realism and wildness that Winter Season should have. At the same time, the nighttime brightness in Winter Season has been significantly increased. The romantic atmosphere that could have been created using snow and darkness in the game is now greatly diminished. Comparing the snowflake effects in FH6 and 4 reveals that the previous snowflakes, illuminated by headlights, appeared very dense and layered, while the latest version's snowflakes look more like rapidly passing lines. In contrast, what everyone feels now about Winter Season seems to be just a change in color temperature and lighting, without actually altering the player's gaming experience. To put it bluntly, in FH6, Winter Season seems to have only changed the lighting conditions. Is this change good or bad? Advantages Of course, these changes in the game also offer convenience to players. This makes Winter Season less difficult to drive, eliminating the need for frequent tire changes, vehicle settings adjustments, or even abandoning the use of some rear-wheel-drive vehicles. This constant tinkering can be very time-consuming for casual players. At the same time, it's undeniable that some people prefer driving supercars on wide-open roads, finding far more enjoyment in this than in the challenging snowy terrain. Furthermore, FH6 already contains numerous tasks and challenges for players to complete. If Winter Season is made too harsh, it could make time-limited events even more difficult to achieve. Even high-performance vehicles unlocked with significant Forza Horizon 6 credits might not perform well in the harsh environment. Drawbacks Some might argue that it's precisely the difficulties and uncertainties caused by environmental changes that make FH6 worth replaying. Each seasonal change brings new challenges and new strategies. Since Winter Season racing tracks have been protected, retaining some snow and slippery conditions in open missions isn't unreasonable. Aspects for Improvement First, many players do hope that FH6 can retain some iconic Winter Season elements in key areas, such as returning frozen lakes to players, allowing them to once again experience the joy of gathering together to enjoy Winter Season. Second, if the game cannot satisfy all players' needs, perhaps a more balanced approach could be to adopt a strategy of differentiated regional gameplay. For example, the race routes and main roads of Japanese cities could remain open, while snow accumulation in suburban and mountainous areas could be appropriately preserved. This would satisfy the requirements of fairness in the races while retaining some seasonality during free exploration. Alternatively, the game could add an option in the settings allowing players to determine the impact of the season on driving and the terrain, similar to adjusting the difficulty level. Everyone could define what Winter Season should look like according to their own preferences. No one wants FH6 to become so difficult that players can't progress, but seasonal changes shouldn't be reduced to mere visual alterations; that would lose the meaning of the seasons themselves.