ARC Raiders is currently experiencing its most intense community debate since its release, and surprisingly, this controversy has nothing to do with weapon balance or enemy shooting. So what is it?

It’s due to a sudden adjustment to the rewards for ARC Raiders Expedition. This change caught many players off guard, as months of carefully prepared expedition rewards were replaced by a short five-day window and a completely new set of rules.

Such adjustments are undoubtedly unacceptable to many players. Next, IGGM will guide you through the specific details regarding this ARC Raiders Expedition.

Schedule

Expedition window will be open from April 28th to May 4th, 2026 (Pacific Time). Actual departures and character resets will take place on May 4th. This season reset for this extraction shooter will launch simultaneously with the major update, ARC Raiders Riven Tides.

This Arc Raiders Expedition schedule is very tight. In the old system, players had a season to accumulate resources; in the new system, the crucial Expedition window is only five days long, and the damage threshold requirements are not specified.

Major changes

Expedition reward system has been completely overhauled. In the previous Arc Raiders Expedition, rewards were tied to the player’s total stash value, so to obtain all five permanent skill points, you had to collect ARC Raiders items for sale worth at least 3 million coins throughout the season.

However, Embark Studios has unexpectedly announced that the reward system will undergo a complete overhaul on April 28, 2026. Here are the mission requirements and most important changes you need to know about the new Arc Raiders Expedition:

• Stash value is no longer a prerequisite for obtaining the main rewards; players now need to deal damage to enemies, instead of earning 3 million coins in loot as before.

• Completing caravan missions will unlock a new damage challenge, and all five permanent skill points now depend on completing this challenge within Expedition window.

• You can use any weapon or equipment to damage any target (except in the practice area) to complete the challenge.

• Players who missed skill points in their second or third Expedition can still make up for it with Stash Value. Each missed skill point costs 300,000 coins, but only if the damage challenge is completed first.

Time is tight. If you don’t have enough coins left to acquire the missed skill points, you can buy cheap ARC Raiders coins from IGGM, which provides the safest and fastest way to complete this process.

Currently, the official damage thresholds required to obtain all five skill points have not been released, leaving players without a clear objective to plan for.

Permanent rewards

Completing an Expedition still grants a range of generous rewards. The upgraded Patchwork outfit adds customization options for helmets, ammo belts, and leg trinkets, and upgraded Indicator icon marks permanently mark each completed Expedition.

Each Expedition adds 12 permanent stash spaces. Therefore, without Expeditions, the maximum stash space is 280. After the first Expedition, it will reach 292. With two Expeditions, the total will reach 304. With three Expeditions, it will reach 316, and so on.

The five permanent skill points remain the most valuable reward, as they directly impact your gameplay each season.

Participating in Expeditions consecutively will grant additional rewards. If you miss an Expedition window, these buffs will reset. The percentage increases are as follows:

• XP boost: 5% → 10% → 15%

• Scrappy materials boost: 6% → 12% → 18%

• Repair value increase: 60% → 70% → 80%

How to start?

In general, starting ARC Raiders Expedition is similar to before. You need to complete your caravan missions before the April 28th deadline and then register your account to participate in Expedition. The main change is the addition of Damage Challenge, which will unlock after Expedition window opens.

Here are the steps IGGM will take for the latest ARC Raiders Expedition:

Step 1: Complete your Caravan mission.

Step 2: Unlock Expedition window on April 28, 2026.

Step 3: If your Caravan is already assembled, sign up for Expedition to unlock the new Damage Challenge.

Step 4: You have 5 days to complete Damage Challenge to earn 5 permanent skill points.

Step 5: Players who missed previous Expeditions can claim their rewards by increasing their stash value.

Note: Players can now claim previous ARC Raiders expedition rewards, but you need to complete the new Damage Challenge to use this feature.

Why is the community objecting?

The main dissatisfaction among players is not with the design philosophy of Expedition, but with the official communication. Many players spent months accumulating stash value, hoping that this Expedition would use the old system.

However, the official adjustments were made, but the announcement was released just before the update, leaving players almost no time to adjust. Furthermore, the damage thresholds were not disclosed, making even careful preparation ineffective.

The official intention behind these changes was to make Expedition more proactive rather than reactive, prioritizing participation over resource hoarding. This is clearly a good intention, but gaining community support is crucial. Hopefully, the official team can provide more information before April 28th, giving players a clear direction to work towards.

This concludes IGGM’s report on the latest ARC Raiders Expedition update. The discussion in the community is very heated, and we hope the official team will release more details soon.