The Arc Raiders Flickering Flames event and its tied project rolled in with the Cold Snap update — along with snow-dusted maps and a heap of balance tweaks — and, predictably, a bit of head-scratching. Events in Arc Raiders aren’t exactly plug-and-play.
You’ll hear a lot about candleberries, merits, and yes, a brand-new raider tool if you make it to the end. The catch? You’ll need to grind a fair few raids and pour resources into a timed project to get there.
Below is a clean breakdown of how Flickering Flames works: how merits and candleberries factor in, every reward milestone, plus the full project requirement list and what you get back for your trouble.
Arc Raiders Flickering Flames event explained
Flickering Flames runs until 4:30 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 — the same time Cold Snap wraps. The loop is simple enough: head topside, earn XP, and with it, merits. Those merits unlock rewards at every 600-point tier, all the way to a new raider tool at the end.
Here’s every merit milestone reward:
- 600 merits: Hi-Tech Hiker outfit
- 1,200 merits: 10 candleberries
- 1,800 merits: Scanner (Hi-Tech Hiker variant)
- 2,400 merits: 10 candleberries
- 3,000 merits: Check Compass emote
- 3,600 merits: 20 candleberries
- 4,200 merits: 50 raider tokens
- 4,800 merits: Blue Camo (Hi-Tech Hiker color)
- 5,400 merits: 30 candleberries
- 6,000 merits: Field Phone (Hi-Tech Hiker variant)
- 6,600 merits: 30 candleberries
- 7,200 merits: Sprayed Eyes Red face style
- 7,800 merits: 50 raider tokens
- 8,400 merits: Orange (Hi-Tech Hiker color)
- 9,000 merits: 40 candleberries
- 9,600 merits: Mask (Hi-Tech Hiker variant)
- 10,200 merits: 50 raider tokens
- 10,800 merits: Yellow Camo (Hi-Tech Hiker color)
- 11,400 merits: 40 candleberries
- 12,000 merits: Headgear (Hi-Tech Hiker variant)
- 12,600 merits: 50 raider tokens
- 13,200 merits: White (Hi-Tech Hiker color)
- 13,800 merits: Goggles (Hi-Tech Hiker variant)
- 14,400 merits: 50 raider tokens
- 15,000 merits: Space Wrench raider tool
Arc Raiders Flickering Flame project resources and rewards list
On top of the merit track, Flickering Flames includes a limited-time project. Like the expedition project, you donate specific materials to clear stages and earn extra rewards — including more merits. Here’s every stage, what it costs, and what you get back:
Stage 1: Candlelight
- 1 empty wine bottle: 5 firecrackers
- 25 plastic parts: 1,000 merits
- 5 durable cloth: 1,000 merits
- 20 candleberries: 50 raider tokens
Stage 2: Decorations
- 3 candle holders: 1 red light stick blueprint
- 3 light bulbs: 1,000 merits
- 1 industrial battery: 1,000 merits
- 50 candleberries: 50 raider tokens
Stage 3: Presents
- 5 snap blast grenades: 3 trailblazers
- 10 duct tape: 1,000 merits
- 1 film reel: 1,000 merits
- 60 candleberries: 50 raider tokens
Stage 4: Beverages
- 2 coffee pots: 1 vita spray
- 10 fireball burners: 1,000 merits
- 2 water filters: 1,000 merits
- 60 candleberries: 50 raider tokens
Stage 5: Meals
- 7 mushrooms: 1 snap hook
- 2 frying pans: 1,000 merits
- 2 music albums: 1,000 merits
- 70 candleberries: 50 raider tokens
No single reward here is game-breaking, but the asks are relatively light, and you’ll pad your merit total on the way to that Space Wrench. Short on candleberries? Head topside during Cold Snap weather and comb the bushes — the bright red clusters are easy to spot, and you should snag a few every raid.
If you’re clearing seasonal stuff anyway, it’s also worth knowing how to finish “The Clean Dream” quest, which arrived alongside this Arc Raiders update.