Embark Studios has delivered an exciting limited-time opportunity for Arc Raiders players—a completely free Sky Ice Hiker Backpack skin available exclusively through a Discord quest. Released just one day after the game’s October 30, 2025 launch, this promotional cosmetic rewards early adopters who connect their Discord accounts and spend just 15 minutes surviving on the dangerous Topside surface.
With the redemption window closing on November 6, 2025, players have a narrow timeframe to claim this exclusive backpack skin that may never return. This guide provides the complete step-by-step process to ensure you don’t miss out on this limited-edition cosmetic.
Table of Contents
Arc Raiders Reward Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Item | Sky Ice Hiker Backpack (Cosmetic Skin) |
| Cost | FREE (Discord Quest Reward) |
| Availability | October 31 – November 6, 2025 |
| Platform | Discord Quests System |
| Requirements | Discord + Embark ID Link, 15 min Topside gameplay |
| Difficulty | Easy (No combat/extraction required) |
| Estimated Time | 20-30 minutes total (including setup) |
| Tradeable | No (Account-bound cosmetic) |
| Future Availability | Unknown (Likely exclusive) |
Prerequisites: Setting Up Your Accounts
Before claiming the Sky Ice Hiker Backpack, you must complete essential account linking that connects your Discord profile with your Embark ID—the unified account system for all Embark Studios games.
Step 1: Create or Verify Your Discord Account
If you don’t already have a Discord account, visit Discord.com and create one using your email address. This takes approximately 2-3 minutes. Existing Discord users can skip this step.
Important Note: Use the same email associated with your Arc Raiders account if possible to avoid confusion during the linking process.
Step 2: Link Discord to Your Embark ID
This crucial step enables communication between Discord’s quest system and your Arc Raiders account:
- Visit the official Embark Studios website
- Log into your Embark ID account (the credentials you use for Arc Raiders)
- Navigate to your account settings or profile section
- Locate the “Connected Platforms” tab
- Select Discord from the available platform options
- Follow the authorization prompts—Discord will ask permission to share basic profile information with Embark Studios
- Confirm the connection once prompted
Verification: After successful linking, you should see Discord listed as a connected platform in your Embark account settings. This confirmation ensures the quest progress will properly sync.
Step 3: Join the Official Arc Raiders Discord Server
While not explicitly required for quest completion, joining the official Arc Raiders Discord community provides access to announcements, troubleshooting help, and community engagement:
- Search for “Arc Raiders Official” in Discord’s server discovery
- Click “Join Server” to become a member
- Verify you can see channels and messages (confirms successful join)
Claiming the Sky Ice Hiker Backpack: Complete Walkthrough
Step 4: Access Discord Quests
Discord Quests is a relatively new feature that rewards users for engaging with games and communities:
- Open your Discord application (desktop or mobile)
- Look at the left sidebar where server icons appear
- Locate and click the Discord logo icon at the very top—this is the home button
- In the menu that appears, find the “Quests” section
- Browse available quests until you locate Arc Raiders
Navigation Tip: If you don’t immediately see the Quests section, try updating your Discord application to the latest version, as this feature may require recent software.
Step 5: Accept the Arc Raiders Quest
Once you’ve located the Arc Raiders quest in Discord’s Quests section:
- Click on the Arc Raiders quest tile to view details
- Read the requirement: “Spend 15 minutes on the surface in Arc Raiders”
- Click “Accept Quest” to activate progress tracking
- Keep Discord running in the background—it must be open for progress to register
Quest Activation Confirmation: You should see the quest appear in your active quests list with a 0/15 minute progress tracker.
Step 6: Complete the 15-Minute Topside Requirement
Launch Arc Raiders with Discord running in the background and head to any Topside map (Blue Gate, Dam Battlegrounds, or Buried City):
What Counts as “Surface Time”:
- Simply being deployed on the Topside map—no specific objectives required
- Time spent running, looting, hiding, or engaging enemies all counts
- You do NOT need to extract successfully—dying is fine
- You can spread the 15 minutes across multiple raids if needed
Efficient Completion Strategy:
- Deploy to Blue Gate (lowest risk level for new players)
- Avoid high-conflict areas—survival isn’t required, just time spent
- Use the 15 minutes to complete beginner quests simultaneously
- Check your Discord quest progress periodically to confirm tracking
Technical Requirement: Keep Discord open and running in the background. Minimized is fine, but completely closing Discord may interrupt progress tracking.
Step 7: Retrieve Your Redemption Code
After accumulating 15 minutes of Topside playtime, return to Discord:
- Navigate back to the Quests section where you accepted the Arc Raiders quest
- The quest should now show as “Completed”
- Click on the completed quest to reveal your reward
- You’ll see a unique redemption code and a link to the Arc Raiders redemption page
- Copy the redemption code carefully—it’s case-sensitive and unique to your account
Important: Screenshot or save this code immediately. While it should remain accessible in your Discord quest history, having a backup prevents issues if Discord experiences technical problems.
Step 8: Redeem Your Sky Ice Hiker Backpack
Click the provided link or manually navigate to Arc Raiders’ official redemption page:
- Ensure you’re logged into your Embark ID in your browser
- Locate the redemption code input field
- Paste your unique code exactly as provided (avoid extra spaces)
- Click “Redeem” or “Submit”
- Wait for the confirmation message: “Sky Ice Hiker Backpack successfully redeemed”
Verification: The backpack should immediately appear in your Arc Raiders cosmetics inventory under the Backpack section in Speranza’s customization menu.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Quest Not Tracking Progress:
- Verify Discord is running in the background during gameplay
- Confirm your Embark ID and Discord accounts are properly linked
- Try restarting both Discord and Arc Raiders
Code Redemption Fails:
- Ensure you’re logged into the correct Embark ID account
- Check for typos in the redemption code—copy/paste is safer than manual typing
- Clear browser cache and cookies, then try again
Backpack Not Appearing in Game:
- Restart Arc Raiders after redemption
- Check the Backpack cosmetics section specifically (not general inventory)
- Wait 5-10 minutes for server synchronization
Player Reports: Some users on X (Twitter) have reported delayed rewards or tracking issues. If your first attempt doesn’t work, log out of both Discord and Embark ID, then repeat the process after waiting 30 minutes.
Why This Matters: Limited-Time Exclusivity
The Sky Ice Hiker Backpack represents more than just a cosmetic—it’s a badge of early adoption and community engagement. As Arc Raiders develops its identity and player culture, limited-time promotional items like this become status symbols showing you were there from the beginning.
Future Value: While cosmetics don’t affect gameplay, exclusive items often become highly desirable as games mature and their player bases grow. Players who join Arc Raiders months or years later may never have the opportunity to obtain this particular backpack skin, making it a unique identifier for launch-period veterans.
For comprehensive Arc Raiders guides and cosmetic unlock strategies, explore our survival tips. Visit Embark Studios’ official website for the latest Arc Raiders updates and community events.
Stay informed about gaming rewards and limited-time promotions to never miss exclusive content across your favorite titles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to successfully extract from the Topside to complete the Discord quest, or does the 15-minute timer count even if I die?
A: You do NOT need to successfully extract for the quest to count—the Discord quest tracks pure time spent on the Topside surface, regardless of mission outcome. If you deploy to Blue Gate, spend 10 minutes looting and exploring, then get killed by an ARC machine or enemy player, those 10 minutes still count toward your 15-minute requirement. You can even spread the time across multiple raids: 5 minutes in your first raid (died), 7 minutes in your second raid (died), and 3 minutes in your third raid (extracted) would total 15 minutes and complete the quest. This makes the requirement extremely accessible for new players who might struggle with survival—simply existing on the Topside map is sufficient. The quest tracking happens in the background as long as Discord remains open while you play, so there’s no pressure to survive dangerous encounters or complete objectives. Focus purely on time spent rather than performance.
Q: What happens if I miss the November 6, 2025 deadline—will the Sky Ice Hiker Backpack be available through other means later?
A: Embark Studios has not officially confirmed whether the Sky Ice Hiker Backpack will return after the November 6, 2025 redemption window closes. Based on industry standards for promotional Discord quest rewards, these cosmetics are typically exclusive to the promotional period and rarely return, making them permanent markers of early player engagement. However, three scenarios could occur: (1) Complete exclusivity—the backpack never returns, becoming a legacy item showing you participated in Arc Raiders’ launch window; (2) Rare re-release—Embark might make it available during special events like anniversary celebrations, though likely at a price rather than free; (3) Alternative acquisition—future battlepasses or in-game shops might include the skin, though this would disappoint players who claimed it during the promotional period. Given that this is Arc Raiders’ launch promotion celebrating the game’s October 30, 2025 release, the most likely scenario is permanent exclusivity. If you’re even slightly interested in cosmetics or want to preserve the option for future use, claim it before November 6—there’s literally no cost except 15 minutes of gameplay time.
