ARC Raiders will pause Expeditions after the fifth global window closes on September 29. Embark Studios says the system needs bigger changes than another round of incremental fixes, making the September 8–29 run the last Expedition until early 2027.
Expeditions are optional progression resets that let players start again with a new Raider in exchange for permanent bonuses and other rewards. They are not automatic seasonal wipes: players build a Caravan, choose whether to sign up and depart only during scheduled windows. Embark has been adjusting the system for months, but the studio now says its biggest pain points need a broader fix.
The fifth Expedition runs September 8–29 with new reset rules
The window opens September 8 at 11:00 UTC and closes September 29 at 08:00 UTC, giving players three weeks instead of two. Finishing a Caravan still does not register a player for departure. Anyone who wants to leave has to sign up during the window.
There is no Last Call this time. That feature previously gave players who had finished a Caravan but missed registration another chance to depart. For the September run, missing the sign-up deadline means missing the Expedition.
Quest progress is changing too. Players can choose not to reset their quest line when they complete an Expedition, so they will not have to repeat the same missions after every departure. Because the Hullcracker Blueprint has been tied to that quest line, Embark says it will add other ways to obtain it.
The dates are also listed in the GameTechReport release calendar. Players can work on their Caravan between windows, but the Expedition itself can only be completed during a scheduled departure window. September is the fifth global window, not necessarily a player’s fifth personal Expedition; someone who started later may still be completing an earlier one.
Embark says the fixes so far are not enough
That decision has been building for a while. In May, Embark said very few players were taking part in Expeditions because the rewards were not strong enough for some, while others did not want to part with favorite items and Blueprints. The studio responded with changes including more Stash space and an Expedition Vault that lets players carry selected items across a reset. The Vault can hold up to five items, directly addressing one of the reasons Embark gave for players avoiding the system.
Now Embark points to three problems that still need work: narrow departure windows, the reward structure and accessibility for new players. The studio says those areas need more than incremental fixes, which is why the September run will be followed by a pause instead of a sixth Expedition.
What comes next is still open. Embark has not detailed a replacement system or said exactly how Expeditions will change. It plans to share more in September, with the revised system currently due to return in early 2027.
Existing buffs stay, but unfinished Caravans will be reset
Players who have already earned consecutive Expedition buffs will keep them during the pause. Completing all five Expeditions fully unlocks the Zenith Outfit, and bonus Skill Points remain capped at 15. Players on their second, third or fourth Expedition can still catch up on Skill Points they previously missed.
The fifth Expedition also adds 12 permanent Stash spaces, bringing the total Expedition bonus to 60. Consecutive XP, Scrappy-material and repair-value buffs remain capped at three levels. Catch-up remains tied to Stash value and is available from a player’s second Expedition until all 15 bonus Skill Points have been recovered. Embark also lists Mystery Rewards for the fifth run, although the announcement does not spell out their contents.
Partially completed Caravans will not carry into the pause. Embark says their contributed value will be converted into Ermal Vouchers of equal value. Those vouchers can be used for Ermal offers, ARC Parts and firearms trades, or sold for Coin.
Frozen Trail arrives before Expeditions return
The timing leaves a short gap between several ARC Raiders systems. The current Trials season ends September 22, the fifth Expedition closes September 29, and Trials return on October 8. Frozen Trail also launches on October 8.
Frozen Trail is a separate update, not the Expedition rework. It brings its own progression changes, the game’s largest map and a new ARC Operation, which we covered in our ARC Raiders Frozen Trail breakdown. Embark has not said the Expedition overhaul will arrive with that update. For now, Expeditions remain scheduled to return in early 2027.
Sources: Embark Studios — Fifth Expedition; Embark Studios — development update.