The Cold Snap update also introduces a new, event-exclusive resource: Candleberries. These bright red berries are required to complete the Flickering Flames Project in full, with a total of 260 Candleberries needed from start to ARC Raiders Coins finish.

While that number may seem overwhelming, you won't need to gather all of them manually. By progressing through the Gathering Candleberries reward track, you can earn up to 180 Candleberries simply by accumulating Merits through regular gameplay.

Candleberries can also be found directly in raids during Cold Snap conditions. They grow on small bushes scattered throughout snowy maps, typically yielding one to three berries per bush. These bushes are often clustered together, making them efficient to farm if you know where to look.

Another excellent source is Raider Caches during Cold Snap events. These caches commonly contain three to five Candleberries, making them well worth the risk and time required to open. Additionally, rare baskets found in nature-focused points of interest can yield even larger quantities.

Some reliable locations for Candleberry farming include:

The areas around the Hydroponic Dome Complex on Dam Battlegrounds

Marano Park in Buried City

The wooded stretch between Container Storage and East Plains Warehouse on Spaceport

Gathering Candleberries Reward Tracker

The final component of the Flickering Flames event is the Gathering Candleberries reward tracker. This progression path features 25 individual rewards, including cosmetics and additional Candleberries. Advancement on the tracker is achieved exclusively through earning Merits.

Merits are awarded at the end of each match, with every 100 XP translating into one Merit. A successful raid-especially one involving ARC combat and Raider eliminations-can generate thousands of XP, making Merits something you'll earn naturally just by playing.

Completing specific Flickering Flames Project steps also grants large Merit bonuses. For example, donating three Light Bulbs can instantly award 1,000 Merits. While these bonuses alone won't complete the tracker, they significantly speed up progress and are an excellent supplement to your regular XP gains.

Final Thoughts

The Flickering Flames event adds meaningful variety to Arc Raiders, blending survival mechanics, exploration, and long-term progression into a cohesive seasonal experience. Between the dangerous snowstorms, the resource-driven project, and the cosmetic-heavy reward track, there's plenty to keep you engaged throughout the Cold Snap update.

Bundle up, plan your routes carefully, and make every raid count-winter on the surface is unforgiving, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

Arc Raiders: A Toxic Trail Quest Walkthrough Guide
Arc Raiders features a wide variety of narrative-driven quests, many of which gradually uncover the darker truths lurking beneath the surface. One such storyline revolves around the contamination of the local water supply, forcing players to investigate suspicious activity across multiple locations. After completing earlier steps in this chain, you'll eventually unlock A Toxic Trail, a quest that sends you back to familiar territory to uncover more evidence about who is responsible.

This guide breaks down every step of A Toxic Trail, explaining exactly where to go, what to interact with, and how to safely complete the quest while maximizing your rewards.

Preparing for A Toxic Trail

Before deploying, it's worth noting that extraction is not technically required to complete A Toxic Trail. However, extracting is still highly recommended-especially if you don't have an augment with a safe pocket. The quest rewards you with a key that isn't required for future quests but can be extremely useful for looting later on, particularly on the Spaceport map.

If you're able to safely extract with that key, it can provide extra value long after the questline is finished. Once you're geared up and ready, head into the Dam Battlegrounds map to begin.

Returning to the Water Treatment Drain

The first objective sends you back to a location you may already recognize from the Source of the Contamination quest. Your destination is the drain outside the Water Treatment Center, located on the Dam Battlegrounds map.

To reach it efficiently, approach the Water Treatment Center from the north, moving through the swamp. Near the edge of the facility, you'll find the drain where the contaminated barrel was previously discovered.

Unlike the earlier quest, you do not need to interact with the barrel this time. Instead, simply wade through the polluted water near the drain. After a brief moment, the quest will automatically progress, prompting you to ARCR Coins search for clues about where the barrel originally came from.