Arc Raiders just flipped the switch on the Expedition Project, running from December 17 to 22, and it's one of those events that makes you stare at your stash for a long minute. You hit level 20, you start thinking about what you actually want long-term, and suddenly your "I'll do it later" plan feels shaky. If you've been hoarding parts, coins, and upgrades, this is the week where the game asks you to put a price on all of it, and even browsing ARC Raiders Items starts to feel like part of the decision-making.
Getting In Without Getting Burned.
The entry gate is simple: reach level 20, then donate five pages of materials to upgrade the caravan. The nice bit is it doesn't punish real life. If you can't finish the donations before the window closes, your progress sticks around and carries into the next wipe cycle. That takes the edge off. You can chip away at it between raids instead of no-lifing it for a weekend. Still, once you do complete that upgrade, the choice gets real, because this isn't just a "hand in items, get a badge" kind of event.
What The Reset Actually Takes.
Sending your character beyond the Rust Belt is the trigger, and the reset is total. Your stash is gone. Your coins are gone. Workbenches drop back to level one. Questlines and blueprints you fought for? Wiped. It's basically you telling the game, "Yeah, I'm done with this chapter." Some players will love that clean-slate feeling. Others will hate it, because it's not just losing gear, it's losing time. And time is the one thing you can't farm back with a good run.
Why Anyone Would Still Do It.
The pull is permanent power. Up to five extra skill points can be earned, pushing the cap to 80, but it's not handed out for free. You're looking at one million coin (or equivalent stash value) per point, so if you want all five, that's five million in accumulated value. It's a grind, sure, but the kind of grind that changes how your character feels forever. On top of that, there's permanent stash growth: 12 extra spaces. If you play loot-heavy, you already know how big that is. Then there are the rebuild helpers, like XP boosts, repair perks, and better material yields from Scrappy, and those temporary buffs can stack if you keep doing Expeditions without skipping.
Picking The Right Moment.
The smart move is treating Expedition like a planned retirement, not a panic button. A lot of people rush it, wipe early, then spend the next days scrambling with half-built benches and no safety net. If you're going in, go in prepared, because skipping later Expeditions also resets your stacked temporary bonuses, which adds this low-key pressure to stay consistent. If you're on the fence, set a personal line in the sand: hit your donation goal, cash in what you can, then commit, and if you decide to rebuild fast afterward, having access to cheap ARC Raiders gear can make that first stretch back on your feet feel a lot less brutal.Strengthen your squad with premium ARC Raiders items from U4GM, perfect for tougher encounters and late-game challenges.