Arc Raiders Has a Prestige System, and It's a Whole Timed-Event Thing
It's like Tarkov's wipe, but you do it to yourself. On purpose. For buffs.
So, Embark is trying something... interesting for the endgame grind in Arc Raiders. It's called the "Expedition Project," and it's basically a voluntary, seasonal character reset. Or, in gamer terms, a prestige system.
This isn't some quick button-press. It's a whole thing. Once you hit Level 20, you unlock this project. The idea is that your Raider, having exhausted the local area, decides to join a caravan for a one-way trip into the unknown. This means your character is gone for good, but their legacy passes on to your next Raider.
So, Why the Hell Would I Delete My Character? (The Rewards)
For the buffs, of course. Completing an Expedition gives your new Raider "lasting advantages" for the entire next "cycle" or season.
We're talking tangible, quality-of-life benefits: increased XP gain, extra Scrappy materials, better weapon repair efficiency, and more stash space. You also get unique cosmetic rewards and permanent account unlocks just for doing it.
And here's the best part: the more stuff you've hoarded in your stash when your old Raider departs, the more bonus skill points your new Raider starts with. It's a system that actually rewards you for being a loot goblin, right before it takes all your loot away.
Crucially, the devs are very clear that none of this will give a "power or combat advantage". It's all about "smoothing out... progression" and giving you bragging rights. If you complete multiple Expeditions back-to-back, these QoL buffs will even stack, up to a limit.
The Nitty Gritty: What You Lose vs. What You Keep
This is the big one. A reset is only as scary as what you lose.
When your Raider departs, you LOSE all the run-based progress: your Player Level, your Skill Points, your entire Stash and Inventory, all your Blueprints, your Coins, your Den and Workshop progress, and all your active Quests. It's a clean wipe of that character's operational progress.
But, you KEEP all the important account-wide stuff: Unlocked Maps, Unlocked Workshop Stations (just not the upgrades, it seems), Codex Entries, Cosmetics, Raider Tokens (premium currency), Cred, Raider Decks progress, and your standing on Leaderboards and Trials. You also, naturally, keep the bonus skill points and stash slots you earned from the Expedition itself.
How It Works: The 60-Day Timeline
You can't just prestige whenever you feel like it. The Expedition Project runs on a set schedule, like a mini-season. You have 60 days to gather resources and contribute to the "Caravan Construction & Supply" phases.
For this first cycle, that prep phase runs from October 30th to December 14th. After that, a 7-day "Finalization Phase" opens up (Dec 15-20). Your Raider has to actually depart within this short window. The caravan officially leaves on December 21st.
If you do all the prep but miss the 7-day departure window? Tough luck. You lose out on all the buffs for that cycle and have to wait for the next one. So, uh, set a calendar reminder.
It's a pretty interesting way to handle an endgame loop. It's not a forced wipe, but it's a powerful incentive to start fresh, armed with new QoL perks and a few extra skill points. I'm honestly kind of into it.