Many players of ARC Raiders found it easy to leave their Raider behind during the voluntary reset. Whether it was worth it is another matter. However, another consequence of this decision unites the community in painful sorrow.
What kind of reset was that? On December 22, 2025, a major but voluntary wipe took place, where players willingly said goodbye to their hard-earned skills and collected content. In return, they received rewards in the form of cosmetics, buffs, and other goodies. What players had to sacrifice and what they received in return has been summarized here on MeinMMO.
Although participation in the wipe was voluntary, player reactions to its effects are mixed. While some got cold feet a bit too late after the decision, a majority are happy to be able to have a fresh start. However, what unites the community is a painful scene where many Raiders agree: “This moment here is called pain” (MarceloRSchneider on Reddit).
Here you can see the launch trailer for ARC Raiders:
Leaving a chicken behind is much more painful than a lack of customization options
What can’t players forgive themselves after the wipe? Those who voluntarily signed up for the wipe in ARC Raiders were rewarded with a cinematic cutscene showing the Raider’s farewell. The scene shows how the player character is bid farewell by other Raiders, wishing them good luck. But one character also asks: “Who will take care of the chicken?”
In fact, the cutscene features a moment where the Raider not only leaves their base behind but also Scrappy. The loyal chicken has been a constant companion to the player, gifting them with collected presents.
You can see the scene here:
And this moment breaks the hearts of many players, as can be seen from their reactions on Reddit:
- “I left my boy behind! I left my son behind!” must Thatguyontrees tragically realize.
- “I can’t leave my boy. Why can’t we be seen carrying him with us?” wonders Relevant_Access_9670.
- “Screw the workshop, that’s why I’m glad I didn’t go on the expedition,” writes a relieved CookieScholar.
Besides the mourning for Scrappy – How is the mood of players who have participated in the wipe? In a post by black-scout on Reddit, the Raider poses an important question to the community: Was it worth it?
The mood after the wipe is mixed. On one hand, players realize that the effort of upgrading was harder than they remembered. Fully equipped players, who could focus on PvP before the wipe, are now seeking motivation to grind up again.
The customization options for the rewards cosmetics are seen as rather lacking. They cannot keep up with other outfits.
However, the majority of the community does not seem to regret their decision. They see the wipe as a new chance to find joy in the game again after having seen and achieved everything:
“The expedition is a voluntary reset. […] If you’re no longer having fun using your equipment because you’re worried about the value you lose in the reset, you’ve stopped playing a game and started doing a second job,” writes TheSpaceFace and received over 9,000 agreeing upvotes for it.
OldSecurity3642 agrees: “Honestly, the reset feels more liberating than I thought. […] Starting from scratch with my current knowledge will be a whole new experience.” He also finds the skin cool and is glad to have it.
Did you participate in the wipe yourself? And if so, do you regret that decision or are you looking forward to the new challenges that the expedition offers? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
The sorrow for the chicken left behind is quite understandable when you see how much the community loves this chicken. For Scrappy, they would even be willing to spend real money if given the opportunity to have the feathered friend as a real companion: Players love the chicken in ARC Raiders so much that they would even pay money to carry him on their backs
