The next major Expedition in ARC Raiders is almost here, and Embark Studios is making one of the biggest changes yet to the game’s seasonal progression system. In a newly published developer update, the studio revealed the Fourth Expedition, introducing an overhauled reward structure designed to better support players as they prepare for their next journey beyond the Rust Belt.
Instead of awarding Skill Points through the Expedition Challenge, the Fourth Expedition introduces a brand-new Mystery Reward system centered around temporary Blueprints and permanent Raider Tokens. Players will also be able to unlock the first stage of the new Zenith Outfit, continue expanding their stash capacity, and maintain their consecutive Expedition bonuses.
The announcement also confirms the complete Expedition schedule, explains how players can participate, and outlines every major reward available during the limited-time event. Embark says the changes are part of its ongoing effort to improve Expeditions based on community feedback and that it will continue monitoring player reactions after launch.
ARC Raiders Fourth Expedition schedule and how to participate
The Fourth Expedition departure window opens on July 7 at 1:00 PM CEST (11:00 AM UTC / 4:00 AM PT) and remains available until July 21 at 10:00 AM CEST (8:00 AM UTC / 1:00 AM PT). Players will have 14 days to sign up and complete the Expedition requirements before all registered Raiders depart automatically at the end of the event.
Embark reminds players that finishing the Caravan alone does not automatically register them for the Expedition. Players must manually sign up during the active Expedition window. Those who forget can still use the returning “last call” feature before departures take place.
The Expedition process follows a straightforward progression. Players first complete their Caravan after finishing the previous Expedition, wait until the departure window opens, register for participation, complete the Expedition Challenge to earn rewards, catch up on eligible Skill Points if applicable, and finally depart when the event concludes.
While Caravan progress can be completed outside the active window, the Expedition itself can only be finished during the official dates announced by Embark.
New Mystery Rewards replace Skill Points for the Fourth Expedition
The biggest gameplay change comes from the introduction of the Mystery Reward system.
Players participating in their Fourth Expedition will no longer receive Skill Points from completing the Expedition Challenge. Instead, successful Raiders will earn Blueprints and Raider Tokens, which are distributed after departure.
Embark explained that this is the first implementation of the Mystery Reward system and that the team will closely monitor community feedback before deciding whether further adjustments are needed.
Rewards continue to depend on damage dealt during the departure window using the same threshold system introduced previously. Unlike Skill Points, however, these rewards do not include any catch-up mechanic, making participation during the active Expedition especially important.
Players can unlock all five bonus rewards by reaching the following damage milestones before departures:
- 5,000 total damage
- 10,000 total damage
- 30,000 total damage
- 50,000 total damage
- 100,000 total damage
Each completed objective grants one temporary Blueprint along with 150 permanent Raider Tokens.
Blueprints reset after the player’s next Expedition, although duplicate protection ensures players won’t receive the same Blueprint twice from the reward track. This protection does not apply to Blueprints already stored inside Ermal’s Vault.
Possible Blueprint rewards include weapon upgrades like Heavy Gun Parts, Complex Gun Parts, Extended Barrel III, Muzzle Brake III, Vertical Grip III, and complete equipment unlocks such as the Venator, Trailblazer, Tempest, Vulcano, Aphelion, Hullcracker, Wolfpack, Powered Descender, Snap Hook, and several Mk 3 Combat, Tactical, and Looting Augments.
Unlike Blueprints, Raider Tokens are permanent account progression and remain available after future Expeditions.
Zenith Outfit, stash upgrades, Trials, and Expedition bonuses
Players completing their Fourth Expedition will also unlock the first stage of the new Zenith Outfit, replacing the now fully completed Patchwork Outfit reward track.
Permanent progression continues through expanded stash capacity as well. Completing the Fourth Expedition increases stash space by another 12 slots, bringing the cumulative total to 48 extra slots, with the final increase arriving during the Fifth Expedition for a maximum of 60 additional slots.
Skill Point progression remains capped at 15 bonus Skill Points. Returning players can still recover previously missed Skill Points through the existing catch-up system until they reach the maximum available amount.
Consecutive Expedition bonuses also remain in place. Raiders who continue completing Expeditions without missing a cycle retain bonuses such as increased XP gains, additional Scrappy materials, and higher repair values. These bonuses cap after three consecutive Expeditions, meaning Fourth Expedition participants maintain their maximum buff levels without receiving further increases.
Missing an Expedition window doesn’t erase permanent progress but temporarily pauses these consecutive bonuses until players begin participating again.
Embark also confirmed that Ermal’s Vault continues allowing players to purchase up to five Expedition Vault Slots, providing a safe place to store valuable equipment before resetting their Raider.
Alongside the Expedition launch, a new Trials Season will begin immediately when the Expedition window opens on July 7, giving players another fresh set of progression objectives.
The developer also acknowledged concerns from newcomers who may feel behind veteran players. In the announcement, the team said it is actively searching for better ways to balance long-term progression while ensuring new players have enjoyable opportunities to catch up without feeling permanently disadvantaged.
Closing the announcement, Embark encouraged the community to continue sharing feedback on the new reward system as the studio refines Expeditions in future updates.
| Release Date | February 14, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Vertigo Games |
