Blackouts and Whiteouts work as the Day-night cycle in the game, where every 20 minutes, the lights turn off for 8-10 minutes and then turn back on. This time the duration of the whiteout/blackout is not random like in older versions.

All biomes are affected by the Whiteout and the Blackout, meaning there are no levels that are always dark or always light (even outdoor levels change their skybox)

The night is much colder than the day, as the global HVAC system powers down. The air becomes stagnant and sounds become easier to hear.