The third expedition is currently underway in ARC Raiders. To gain additional skill points, players have farmed millions of coins, which will not be needed with a new update for now.
What has changed? On April 17, 2026, Embark Studios released a small update for the ongoing Expedition 3. In addition to some schedule information, there is a change regarding the 5 skill points that can be earned through the expedition. Previously, enough coins had to be collected to purchase the skill points.
With the update, the requirement has changed, and the skill points are now earned through dealt damage. How much damage it will be exactly has not been revealed by Embark Studios, but this damage must be dealt during the 5 days from April 28 to May 3. Who you attack for the challenge is up to you, as every damage to any target will count (arcraiders.com).
This small change, however, is currently upsetting many players who had already collected coins in advance or who have other plans than ARC Raiders for these 5 days.
Many hours of preparation have been rendered worthless
How are players reacting? The update is being hotly debated in the subreddit for ARC Raiders. Opinions are mostly negative and mainly concern the changes for the 5 skill points and the short timeframe.
The Reddit user DuhSheet writes that he has collected 3 million coins to “chill” during the last days of the expedition. Now the coins have become practically worthless with the change. Additionally, the user mentions that he likes the change but feels it should have come at the beginning of a season. His post on Reddit has been upvoted by over 3,000 other users (as of April 18, 2026, at 8:50 AM).
The timeframe is also criticized by DuhSheet and many other players, as the Raiders must play during the 5 days, or they will miss out on the rewards. It should be noted that previously missed skill points from old expeditions could also be obtained retroactively.
Do the developers give a reason for the change? Yes, according to Embark Studios, the mindless grind for a monetary value is not the most exciting. With the new damage goal, the developer aims to bring more freedom and variety in completing the expedition. Additionally, the change is intended to encourage that the loot is used instead of hoarding it over the 5-day window.
While some players complain about the changes for the third expedition, others are lamenting the lack of content in ARC Raiders. Becoming bored, they have found a new activity: bounty hunting. Some streamers are even being pursued in ARC Raiders: Players in ARC Raiders have so little to do that they are now hunting Twitch streamers
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