Arc Raiders Could Replace Expeditions Entirely After Frozen Trail

Arc Raiders is preparing for a major reassessment of its Expeditions system. Embark Studios has already confirmed that Expeditions will be paused until early 2027, but executive producer Aleksander Grøndal has now made clear that the eventual return may not simply be a revised version of the feature players know today. The studio is considering substantial alterations to the optional progression reset mechanic, and eliminating the existing system altogether remains a possibility.

The comments arrive as Embark shifts its immediate attention toward Frozen Trail, a large winter-themed update scheduled for October 8. That update is expected to be the next major focus for Arc Raiders, while Expeditions are left behind for a longer period of design work. For players who have followed the game's post-launch adjustments, the pause signals that the developer sees deeper issues than a routine balance pass can solve.

Expeditions are heading back to the planning stage

Speaking during Gamescom, Grøndal acknowledged that the Expeditions model has not reached the standard Embark wants. He said the system was not perfect and indicated that the team intends to make significant changes rather than merely continue with small revisions. The current priority is determining what form Expeditions should take next, if they return in a recognizable form at all.

"Maybe we'll scrap the whole system altogether. That is on the table, too," Grøndal said, adding that the team is working through the next steps for Expeditions.

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That is a notable statement for a feature positioned as one of Arc Raiders' clearest distinctions within the extraction shooter space. In more punishing games in the genre, wipes or resets can be central to the overall economy and season structure. Arc Raiders approached the idea differently. Its Expeditions were designed as optional, endgame prestige pursuits rather than mandatory resets intended to keep every player's resources under control.

In principle, that makes the system more welcoming for players who do not want to surrender their hard-earned progress on a fixed schedule. Players could decide whether the rewards and fresh-start element were worth pursuing, instead of being required to begin again alongside the entire community. It was a more casual-friendly take on an established extraction shooter concept, but the practical challenge has been making that choice compelling enough for a broad audience.

An optional system still needs a strong reason to use it

The central issue appears to be participation. A comparatively small part of the Arc Raiders player base has engaged with Expeditions, despite Embark repeatedly adjusting the feature around major Caravan windows. Those changes have altered the system in various ways since launch, yet they have not produced the kind of shift the studio hoped to see.

Optionality can be a strength, but it also raises the bar for rewards and motivation. If players can safely keep their current progression, inventory, and established position, an Expedition has to offer something meaningful enough to outweigh the cost of starting over. Cosmetic prestige, unique goals, status, gameplay variety, or long-term rewards can all potentially support that decision, but the balance is difficult. Make the reset too costly and players ignore it; make its rewards too strong and it can stop feeling truly optional.

Embark's apparent conclusion is that continued incremental tuning may not be the answer. The decision to pause Expeditions until early 2027 gives the team time to evaluate the broader purpose of the feature: what it should reward, who it is for, and whether a reset-based format remains the best way to create an endgame progression loop.

That does not guarantee that Expeditions will disappear. Grøndal's comments describe removal as one option under consideration, not a finalized decision. The most likely immediate takeaway is that nothing has been locked in. Embark may emerge with a substantially rebuilt system, a differently named replacement, or a renewed version of Expeditions with altered goals and incentives. It could also decide that the feature's role is better handled by another form of repeatable endgame content.

Frozen Trail takes priority in October

Before the studio reveals more about the long-term Expedition plan, Arc Raiders players have Frozen Trail to look forward to. The wintry update is set to launch on October 8 and represents a more substantial point in the game's update cycle after a stretch of smaller seasonal changes.

Frozen Trail is being framed as an opportunity for Embark to pause, regroup, and deliver broader changes. That makes it the clearest near-term indication of how the developer wants to evolve Arc Raiders beyond frequent smaller adjustments. Although Expeditions will not resume for months after Frozen Trail at the earliest, the update could still offer clues about the studio's larger priorities for progression, endgame activity, and player retention.

Players should not expect a final Expedition announcement simply because Frozen Trail is arriving. The schedule itself suggests that Embark wants the space to examine the system carefully instead of attaching a rushed answer to the October update. Still, the design direction of Frozen Trail may help show whether Arc Raiders is leaning further into accessible extraction gameplay, higher-stakes long-term goals, or new ways for veteran players to distinguish themselves without asking them to reset their progress.

A difficult balance for extraction shooters

Extraction shooters commonly rely on tension, loss, and rebuilding. Their economies can become difficult to manage over time as experienced players accumulate resources, knowledge, and equipment. Full wipes offer one way to refresh that ecosystem, but they can also create fatigue, especially for players who have limited time and do not want to repeatedly rebuild.

Arc Raiders' optional Expedition structure attempted to avoid the harshest version of that problem. It separated prestige and self-imposed renewal from the core economy, allowing players to engage on their own terms. The downside is that the feature needs its own clear identity. If it is neither required for economic health nor attractive as a personal challenge, it risks becoming a niche activity rather than a major pillar of the game.

Embark now appears willing to question that pillar rather than protect it out of habit. For a live game, that willingness can be important. Systems introduced with a strong concept can still underperform once they meet real player behavior. The response is not always to add another reward multiplier or another round of minor rule changes; sometimes it means reassessing the original premise.

There is also a practical benefit to the extended pause. Rather than dividing attention between Frozen Trail, ongoing seasonal support, anti-cheat efforts, and a struggling endgame mechanic, Embark can concentrate resources on the October update while the Expedition team works out a more deliberate solution.

What Arc Raiders players should expect next

For now, Expeditions remain unavailable until early 2027. The feature has not been officially canceled, but players should treat its future format as uncertain. Embark has directly left open the prospect of discarding the system and replacing it with something else, while also making clear that significant changes are desired.

The next major milestone is Frozen Trail on October 8. That update will not immediately restore Expeditions, but it could establish the context for the game's next phase. If Frozen Trail successfully delivers the larger changes Embark is targeting, it may provide the foundation for whatever comes after the Expedition hiatus.

Arc Raiders has also been dealing with cheating concerns, an issue Embark has characterized as difficult to counter at scale because the cheat business is so large. With both competitive integrity and long-term progression demanding attention, the studio's choice to step back from an underperforming system is understandable. The key question for 2027 will be whether Arc Raiders returns with Expeditions rebuilt into a stronger voluntary challenge--or with an entirely different approach to endgame progression.