Huge refinements are coming to Arc Raiders, especially to the game’s Expedition mode, which has long been a point of contention between players. New progression paths transform Expeditions in a great way, allowing players to have interesting journeys rather than repetitive grinds. While still changing due to shifting feedback, these changes could mark a promising future for the popular extraction shooter.
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New features in Arc Raiders have been abundant recently, reflecting developer Embark Studios’ desire to adjust the game based on community desires. Expeditions have been one aspect of the game that fans have been very vocal about, being called tedious due to how much players have to do to accomplish various missions. Even with catch-up mechanics making Expeditions easier to get into, the expensive time sink and monetary cost of completing them have left players begging for adjustments to the mode.
Arc Radiers Now Has Skill Points Tied To Dealing Damage In All Types Of Expeditions
Greater freedom and variety is being introduced to Expeditions progression, mainly to how you earn the rewards from the mode. Instead of stash value, players can pursue objectives tied to dealing damage or simpler trials than what was offered before. The small window in which players can participate in Expeditions no longer forces you into an unwinnable slog, where it is nearly impossible to earn everything from the mode prior to its ending. Embark Studios claims this change is to make Expeditions more fun and engaging, with fair systems rather than endless pursuits.
The challenge present in Expeditions toward the end of April 2026 will allow players to deal damage with any weapon or gadget to earn skill points. This changes skill points into something players can earn for free, rather than being tied to spending in-game currency that takes forever to gain. This challenge will become available for all players who’ve completed their Caravan in Arc Raiders, meaning that it will be easy to access without signing up for it too.
Although the Expedition isn’t going to be live for more than five days, this approach is a breath of fresh air compared to Expeditions of the past. Having straightforward missions tied to dealing damage for progression instead of spending currency is a huge step in the right direction, at least from initial player reactions. The rewards from this upcoming Expedition will remain largely the same as ones that have come before, but hopefully the process for earning them will be far better for those who miss the initial Expedition window.
PvE & PvP Modes Support These New Paths Of Progression
This meaningful update to Arc Raiders is, thankfully, universal across the gameplay in Expeditions. The “dealing damage” aspect of Expedition goals seem to apply to both PvE and PvP systems within the game, giving players a far wider range of options for completing their objectives. For example, players have an equal chance to progress by defeating another competitor, but they don’t risk losing skill points by going after AI-controlled foes in PvE if they prefer doing that.
This combines with the standard catch-up feature in Expeditions to help players reap rewards better, but a new system gives players another way to access it. There is now a “last-call” type of sign-up for those who miss the initial Expedition window, which thankfully doesn’t need the damage requirement other players might have opted in with. However, doing this does prevent last-call players from earning skill points, so there are pros and cons to this experimental feature. The important thing is that Expeditions are supported more for a wider variety of players looking to join them.
More Meaningful Grinds Are Greater Invitations To Newer Players Than Currency Skips
Before this update, Arc Raiders players who didn’t get skill points from an Expedition have to spend a ridiculous amount of currency to catch up to what they missed. Despite this system’s continued existence, the April 2026 changes gives players more chances to earn skill points faster, allowing them to collect everything they need from an Expedition before it ends. Having skill point progression tied to dealing damage is a far better choice that Embark has implemented, making the extraction gameplay more friendly for newcomers.
Development addressing these complaints crafts a better experience for new players, as they don’t have to worry about grinding currency to prevent their journey from starting two steps behind. Now, Arc Raiders players simply have to aim and shoot at targets they’d normally be up against in Expeditions to earn its rewards, which promotes a better sense of achievement and far less frustration.
What do you think of Arc Raiders‘ new Expedition systems? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
