Raiders, prepare your caravans and polish your weapons. A new Expedition window in ARC Raiders is fast approaching, and this time, it brings a tidal wave of changes and fresh content. With its intense atmosphere and fight for survival, this title feels like a mix of Escape from Tarkov with the vibrant sci-fi palette of Destiny. For this third major deployment, you can forget about passive looting in a corner of the map; the developers have listened to the community and are implementing a radical change. Skill Points will no longer be earned based on stash value, but by dealing damage. Furthermore, the highly anticipated Riven Tides update will launch simultaneously with the wipe window, promising another wave of content and improvements. If you want to make your mark in the wasteland, you’ll need to fight harder and adapt to these new, tougher conditions.
Schedule and Riven Tides Update: When to Act?
The Third Expedition is not a time-unlimited event, but a meticulously planned operation that starts alongside a major update. The sign-up window opens on April 28th at 13:00 CEST. The Riven Tides update arrives in-game at that same moment. From this point, you have exactly five days to meet all requirements and explore the new additions. The entire event concludes with the automatic departure of all signed-up Raiders on Monday, May 4th at 09:00 CEST.
Important Note: Simply completing your Caravan does not automatically sign you up for the Expedition. You must actively register via the in-game menu during the specified five-day window.
Progress Revolution and Brutal Numbers: Damage Challenge in Detail
The biggest change is the shift away from passive play and the introduction of a very specific, tough challenge. The developers acknowledge that grinding for monetary value was not enjoyable for players.
- Skill Points for Damage: To earn 5 bonus Skill Points, you must deal damage within the five-day window. Damage from any weapon or gadget against any target (except the practice range) counts.
- The Numbers: Currently, you must deal:
- 1st Skill Point: 5,000 damage
- 2nd Skill Point: 10,000 damage
- 3rd Skill Point: 30,000 damage
- 4th Skill Point: 50,000 damage
- 5th Skill Point: 100,000 damage
- Understanding the Challenge: To put this in perspective, killing one Bastion grants approximately 5,000 damage.
- Gear Freedom: Instead of hoarding your best gear in your stash, the game motivates you to finally bring it into the field and use it.
Catch-up System: Only for Active Participants
If you missed Skill Points from previous Expeditions, you can still catch up. This time, catching up is tied to stash value (300,000 coins per point). Crucially, you must complete the current damage challenge first. In practice, this means that if you do not sign up for the Expedition and complete the damage challenge, you will have no access to the catch-up system.
Trials and Season 4 Start
While Season 3 officially ends on the morning of April 28th, Trials will remain active during the Expedition window this time. This is a significant change, effectively linking the end of one season with the dawn of the next, and it overlaps with the launch of the Riven Tides update. This synergy aims to ensure servers remain active and players always have objectives while finalizing their caravans and discovering new content.
Exclusive Rewards and Perma-bonuses
Participating in an Expedition is not just about prestige, but a permanent upgrade for your account. Rewards are based on your personal progression if this is your first time, you will earn rewards from the first Expedition, and so on. Veterans can look forward to:
- Cosmetics: The full Patchwork outfit (evolved version) and new toggles (turban, bandolier, leg accessories).
- Stash Space: Each successful Expedition permanently increases your Stash by 12 slots. If you complete three, your stash will grow from the original 280 to 316 spots.
- Consecutive Buffs: If you participate in Expeditions consecutively, you earn cumulative boosts:
- XP Boost: up to 15%
- Scrappy Materials Boost: up to 18%
- Repair Value Increase: up to 80%
The “Last Call” Feature: What Last Call Can’t Do
A new feature is the “Last Call.” If you have completed your caravan but missed signing up during the five-day Expedition Window, you will see a pop-up offering a final chance to join. It is essential to understand how this works in practice:
- No Sign-Up = No Challenge: Without a timely sign-up, you have no access to the damage challenge.
- No Challenge = No Skill Points: Without completing the challenge, you cannot earn the 5 damage-based Skill Points.
- No Challenge = No Catch-up: Since catching up requires completing the damage challenge, you cannot access it through Last Call.
- Other Rewards Count: Through Last Call, you may not get Skill Points, but you can still advance in progression and receive all other rewards, such as cosmetics or stash space.
Editorial Perspective
The change from a “hoarding simulator” to a “damage dealer challenge” is exactly what ARC Raiders needed. Forcing players in a looter-shooter to accumulate coins instead of shooting robots was contrary to the genre. Now, players finally have a reason to bring their best gear out of the stash and not fear that it will go to waste. However, the concrete numbers for the damage challenge100,000 damage, corresponding to nearly 20 Bastions show that this is a brutal challenge designed for very active and experienced players. For occasional players, this goal may be difficult to achieve, which may create some frustration. The risk of progression resetting between seasons also remains, though the developers are iterating on what gets reset to make it less painful for the community. Overall, the Third Expedition, amplified by the arrival of the Riven Tides update, looks to be the most exciting and intense update yet, testing the skills of every Raider.
FAQ
Q: When exactly does the sign-up window for the 3rd Expedition begin and end, and when is the Riven Tides update released?
A: Sign-up and the Riven Tides update both begin on April 28th at 13:00 CEST. The sign-up window ends on May 4th at 09:00 CEST, when the automatic departure occurs.
Q: Do I still need to collect stash value for Skill Points?
A: No, not for the main 5 points. You earn these new points by dealing damage with any weapon or gadget during the Expedition window. Specifically, you need totaling 100,000. Stash value is now only used for catching up on missed Skill Points from the past.
Q: What happens if I miss the sign-up window? Can I use Last Call?
A: Yes, Last Call allows you to join the Expedition later and earn rewards like cosmetics and stash space, but you lose the chance to gain the Skill Points from the damage challenge and access the catch-up system.
Q: Is the stash space increase permanent?
A: Yes, the +12 stash slot bonus per Expedition is permanent and remains on your account forever.
Q: What is the maximum number of Skill Points I can have for the Third Expedition?
A: The total limit for veterans on their Third Expedition is set at 91 Skill Points (including all catch-ups and bonuses).
