Just over one million ARC Raiders players chose to wipe their accounts during the game’s first Expedition Project, Embark Studios has revealed.
The optional system launched towards the end of December. It gave players the chance to leave the map behind, reset their progress, and start again with a fresh character. In return, they carried over a handful of buffs earned during the process.
According to Embark, “a little over a million players” completed that first Expedition. Based on sales estimates of around 12 million copies, that puts participation at roughly eight percent of the player base.
That number may sound small, but the studio does not see it as a failure.
Embark is rethinking the Expedition Project
ARC Raiders launched in October 2025 and quickly became one of the biggest names in the extraction genre. It dominated streaming platforms, pulled in major awards, and is still outperforming several established rivals at the time of writing.
The Expedition Project was designed as a long-term system. Every two or three months, players can choose to complete a demanding set of objectives. The final goal is to build an “escape caravan”, leave the safe zone, and start the journey again.
Once completed, Arc Raiders players receive a new character and small bonuses to help speed up their next run.
However, feedback around the first Expedition was mixed.
Many players felt the grind was too heavy, especially near the end. The biggest complaint focused on the skill point rewards. To unlock all five free skill points, players had to build a stash worth five million credits. That worked out as one skill point per million credits.
In an interview with PCGamesN, Embark admitted that the requirement caused frustration. The studio said the target was meant to be aspirational, but many players felt forced to chase it.
The data backs that up. Only around 35 to 40 percent of players who attempted the Expedition earned all five skill points.
Embark Studios says it is now reviewing the Expedition Project from top to bottom. The team is analysing player data and looking for ways to improve the balance, pacing, and rewards in future runs.
With ARC Raiders still sitting comfortably at the top of the extraction pile, how Embark evolves this system could shape the game’s long-term future.
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