Embark Studios has announced that Arc Raiders' fifth Expedition will be the last one for a while, as the developer plans to pause the system entirely until early 2027 to make what it calls major improvements. Expeditions function similarly to prestiging in Call of Duty, letting high-level players reset much of their character's progress in exchange for unique benefits.
In a blog post, Embark said it has been reviewing player feedback and concluded that issues like tight departure windows, the reward structure, and accessibility for new players require more than incremental fixes. The studio said Expeditions will return in early 2027 with major improvements aimed at tackling some of the biggest player pain points, and that more details on those changes will be shared in September.
As part of the fifth Expedition, Embark has already made one significant change: players will no longer automatically reset their quests when they embark and wipe their character, instead being able to opt into a quest reset. Since the Hullcracker Blueprint can only be obtained through that quest line, Embark says it will provide other ways to get it. Any Expedition bonuses already earned will persist through the pause, and any partially completed Caravans will be replaced with Ermal Vouchers of equal value, usable for Ermal offers, ARC Parts, and firearms trade, or sellable for Coin.
One notable side effect is that the game's big October 8 update, Frozen Trail, will launch without an Expedition, breaking from Arc Raiders' past habit of releasing new content right before an Expedition window closes—a pattern that previously prevented players from fully engaging with new rewards until after wiping.
Coverage notes that reaction to the pause has been mixed. Sentiment appears more negative on X than on the Arc Raiders subreddit, though neither shows widespread relief. Many players are taking a wait-and-see approach, acknowledging Expeditions need work while remaining unsure whether Embark can get the redesign right, and some players are satisfied with the current system and don't want it changed.
The pause comes amid broader context of the game's decline since launch, with recent Steam reviews reported at 50% negative and Embark itself acknowledging it's time to expand the game. Observers suggest the upcoming winter season, including Frozen Trail, may be a key opportunity for the game to recapture its early momentum.