Flickering Flame Guide – ARC Raiders Winter Event Overview

Introduction

This Flickering Flame guide covers everything you need to know about the ARC Raiders winter event, explaining how the event works, what objectives you should focus on, and how to progress efficiently to unlock all available rewards. You’ll learn how to navigate Cold Snap conditions, gather Candleberries, and complete the event Project without wasting time or resources.

What is Flickering Flame Festival in ARC Raiders?

Flickering Flame is ARC Raiders limited-time winter event introduced with the Cold Snap update, bringing freezing Topside conditions and a full progression system built around Merits and Candleberries. The event is centered on a winter festival in Speranza, where survivors gather underground to celebrate warmth, light, and endurance during the harsh season.

As a Raider, your role is to venture Topside under Cold Snap conditions, earn XP that converts into Merits, and collect Candleberries along with other required items. These contributions help progress the shared community project while unlocking exclusive cosmetics, items, and currency before the event ends. It mixes three big things:

• Cold Snap as a major map condition with real survival pressure
• A community style project called the Candleberry Banquet Project
• A 25-level reward track that progresses through Merits

Note: The event is built to reward normal play too. You progress by doing regular raids, earning XP, and turning that into Merits, while Candleberries are the event specific resource you will want to keep an eye on.

ARC Raiders Flickering Flame Event Dates

The Flickering Flames event is time-limited and ends with the Cold Snap update window.

• Start: December 16, 2025
• End: January 13, 2026

Once the event ends, the Flickering Flames reward track and Candleberry objectives will no longer be available. If you are late to the event, prioritize the Merit track first since it keeps feeding you Candleberries and rewards while you play.

Flickering Flame Activities & Mechanics Explained

The event has two main progress paths running in parallel: earn Merits from XP to climb the 25-level rewards track, and contribute items and Candleberries to the Candleberry Banquet Project stages.

• Merits come from XP earned during raids
• Candleberries are collected Topside during Cold Snap and donated to the Project
• Project turn-ins can grant extra Merits and rewards

Cold Snap changes how you play every raid when it is active. It is not just visual snow, it can down you quickly if you stay exposed too long.

Note: If you feel forced into buildings, that is intended. Cold Snap pushes more indoor fights and punishes slow outdoor rotations.

Cold Snap Map Condition & Gameplay Effects

Cold Snap is the winter major map condition where the Rust Belt becomes snow covered and dangerous. When Cold Snap is active, you deal with multiple hazards at once, including damage over time from cold exposure unless you get indoors or heal.

When Cold Snap is active:

• Snow covers the entire Rust Belt
• Lakes freeze and become slippery, making your feet unsteady
• Visibility is reduced by blizzards
• Frostbite is a real danger and the cold will cut you down in minutes unless you get indoors or heal up quickly

Clear signs the cold is taking hold:

• Your Raider shivers and rubs their hands together
• Movement becomes less stable
• Snow visibly builds up on your character
• Health begins draining over time

Cold Snap maps can also have snowball piles. You can pick up snowballs and throw them at other Raiders. They do not deal damage, but they add chaos to fights.

Note: Getting pinned down in the open is genuinely dangerous during Cold Snap. Plan to push into cover fast or heal aggressively.

How to Survive Cold Snap?

To survive Cold Snap, treat the outdoors like a timer. Rotate between buildings, keep healing ready, and avoid long open field fights, because the cold damage stacks pressure fast.

• Move between buildings instead of crossing open areas
• Carry extra healing items before heading Topside
• Avoid getting pinned down outdoors during fights
• Use interiors to force close-range engagements

• If your character is still shivering, you are not safe yet
• Not all structures provide enough warmth, so test quickly and move if needed
• Indoor routes become safer and more common combat zones

Cold Snap heavily shifts combat toward indoor close-quarters fights, especially on large open maps like Spaceport.

Candleberries in Flickering Flame Festival

Candleberries are the centerpiece resource of Flickering Flame. In the festival lore, Speranzans use them for wax, food, tea, perfume, soap, and decorations, and they need a lot of them for Candleberry Banquets. In gameplay, Candleberries are an event-exclusive resource you find Topside during Cold Snap, then donate into the Candleberry Banquet Project. They also appear as rewards on the Merit reward track.

Note: Treat Candleberries like your winter currency. Even if you are not ready to donate yet, collecting them early keeps you flexible later.

What are Candleberries?

Candleberries are event-exclusive items tied to the Cold Snap update and used primarily to progress the Candleberry Banquet Project. You can find them in the world during Cold Snap raids and earn them through event progression.

• You need a total of 260 Candleberries to fully complete the Candleberry Banquet Project
• From the event reward track you can earn up to 180 Candleberries
• Candleberries spawn during the Cold Snap map condition

You do not need to manually farm all 260 from bushes. The reward track covers a large chunk if you keep playing and earning Merits.

How to use Candleberries?

You use Candleberries by committing them into the Candleberry Banquet Project stages. Each stage asks for a set amount of Candleberries plus other items, and once you donate, those items are consumed permanently.

• Candleberries are required in every Project stage
• Project contributions can reward Raider Tokens, Merits, and items tied to that stage
• Donations are permanent, so only commit items you can spare

Note: If you are short on Candleberries, farm Cold Snap runs first and donate later once you have a buffer.

How to find Candleberries?

You find Candleberries during Cold Snap raids in a few different ways. The fastest options are usually Raider Caches and Nature Baskets, while the reward track provides steady passive Candleberries as you play.

• Event Reward Track: Earn up to 180 Candleberries by leveling rewards with Merits
• Wild Bushes: Found on Cold Snap maps, usually drop 1 to 3 Candleberries
• Raider Caches: Often contain 3 to 5 Candleberries
• Nature Baskets: Rare spawns that yield the highest amount

Cold Snap can appear on every map except Stella Montis. If you want fast progress, prioritize Raider Caches during Cold Snap. They tend to beat bush farming in pure berries per minute.

The Best Candleberry Farming Locations

These locations are commonly highlighted as strong farming areas during Cold Snap.

• Hydroponic Dome Complex on Dam Battlegrounds
• Marano Park in Buried City
• The forest between Container Storage and East Plains Warehouse on Spaceport

A simple farming loop that works well:

• Start near a nature area and scan for bushes and baskets
• Check Raider Caches whenever you are nearby, especially on Dam Battlegrounds
• Keep a warm building close, do not overcommit to long open rotations during Cold Snap

Note: Spawns can be dynamic, so treat these as high probability areas, not guaranteed spawns every raid.

Flickering Flame Event Rewards

Flickering Flame rewards come from two places: the 25-level reward track based on Merits, and the Candleberry Banquet Project stage rewards plus final project rewards.

Even if you do not care about cosmetics, Raider Tokens and Merits from the project can help speed up your overall event completion.

How to complete Flickering Flame Event in ARC Raiders

Completing Flickering Flame means finishing both parts: climb the 25-level Merit reward track to the final tier at 15,000 Merit, and complete all five stages of the Candleberry Banquet Project by donating the required items and Candleberries.

How the Merit system works:

• Merits are automatically converted from XP earned by playing on any map
• You gain extra Merits by progressing the Candleberry Banquet Project
• One source states you earn 10 Merit for every 1,000 XP
• Another source states 100 XP equals 1 Merit

Either way, the practical takeaway is the same: play raids, earn XP, and Merits will follow naturally. Project turn-ins can add large Merit boosts, speeding up the track.

Event participation requirement: you must complete five raids to unlock event participation.

Note: For the smoothest completion, alternate between playing raids for Merits and doing focused loot runs for the Project items so you never get stuck on one bottleneck.

Candleberry Banquet Project

The Candleberry Banquet Project is a community driven objective split into five stages. Each stage requires a combination of items plus Candleberries, and your contributions are permanently consumed. The following table covers all project stages and requirements:

Practical tips to speed up Candleberry Banquet Project completion:

• Duct Tape can be bought from Celeste, 10 for 60 seeds
• Snap Blast Grenades can be purchased from Apollo (up to 3) and crafted in the explosive station using crude explosives and magnets
• Candle holders and light bulbs are commonly found in residential areas, like Ruby Residences on Buried City
• Industrial batteries and water filters show up in industrial zones and around Hydroponic Dome Complex
• Fireball Burners come from Fireball ARCs
• Mushrooms can be found in forest areas on Dam Battlegrounds, but can be harder if Lush Blooms is out of rotation

The real wall for most players is Candleberries, so keep farming them during Cold Snap while you loot everything else.

Flickering Flame Rewards Track

The Flickering Flames reward track has 25 levels and progresses through Merits. Rewards unlock every 600 Merit, and the final tier is at 15,000 Merit.

This track includes cosmetics, Candleberries, Raider Tokens, and ends with the Space Wrench as the final reward. In the following table you can find the full rewards list:

This is the first time the game adds Raider Tool customization through an event reward, so if you care about unique tools, 15,000 Merit is the main finish line.

ARC Raiders: Flickering Flame Event Tips & Tricks

A few simple habits make this event way easier. Respect Cold Snap, keep your runs efficient, and combine passive Merit progression with focused Project farming.

Cold Snap survival:

• Treat outdoors as a timer, plan routes between warm buildings
• Do not take long open fights, push into cover or disengage
• Carry extra healing so you can keep moving when the cold ticks

Candleberry efficiency:

• Farm during Cold Snap, Candleberries do not spawn outside of it
• Prioritize Raider Caches for 3 to 5 berries per find
• Check nature areas for bushes and baskets, but expect dynamic spawns

Project completion speed:

• Buy what you can from traders, like duct tape from Celeste
• Craft or buy snap blast grenades instead of hoping to loot all of them
• Target focused zones on Dam Battlegrounds for faster full item sweeps

The biggest mistake is trying to play Cold Snap like a normal raid. If you rotate smart, you will survive more, extract more, and finish the event faster.

Final Thoughts

Flickering Flame is a well-rounded seasonal event that rewards smart planning, efficient routing, and consistent play rather than brute force. Throughout this ARC Raiders Flickering Flame event guide, you’ve learned how Cold Snap affects Topside raids, the best way to farm Candleberries, how the Merit reward track works, and the best strategy to complete every stage of the Candleberry Banquet Project without wasting time or resources.

By combining safe rotations, focused farming, and steady XP gains, you can unlock all event rewards while minimizing risk and frustration. Adapt to the cold, plan your runs, and the Flickering Flame event becomes one of the most rewarding and manageable seasonal experiences in ARC Raiders.

FAQs

Browse our FAQs for quick answers about the Flickering Flame event, Cold Snap, Candleberries, Merits, and rewards.

What is the Cold Snap condition in ARC Raiders?

Cold Snap is a winter major map condition that adds snow coverage, frozen slippery lakes, reduced visibility from blizzards, and damage over time from cold exposure unless you get indoors or heal.

Do Candleberries spawn on every map?

Candleberries spawn during Cold Snap. Cold Snap can happen on every map except Stella Montis, so you should not expect Candleberries there.

How many Candleberries do I need to finish the project?

To fully complete the Candleberry Banquet Project, you need 260 Candleberries total across all five stages.

Can I earn Candleberries without farming bushes?

Yes. You can earn up to 180 Candleberries from the event reward track as you progress through Merits, which covers a large part of the 260 total.

How do I earn Merits fast?

Merits are converted from XP earned during raids. You gain Merits from looting, killing ARCs, and defeating Raiders, and you can also gain extra Merits by progressing the Candleberry Banquet Project.

What is the final reward for the Flickering Flame reward track?

The final reward at 15,000 Merit is the Space Wrench Raider Tool.