Voluntary Progress Resets in ARC Raiders: Developers Acknowledge Players Time Management

In games like  ARC Raiders, a mandatory wipe system is often implemented to level the playing field for gamers at the start of a new season. However, Embark Studios has opted to introduce a different approach—a voluntary progress reset called «Project: Expedition.»

The developers acknowledge the benefits of mandatory wipes but also understand that such a system can disregard the personal time of players, particularly for those who cannot dedicate as much attention to gaming as they would like.

Consequently, Embark has unveiled the «Project: Expedition» system, which will be accessible in the full version of the game. Upon reaching level 20, players will be able to undertake their first «project,» and after its completion, they will have the option to reset their character’s progress. This can be done again after completing another similar «project.» Over time, more projects will be introduced through updates, holidays, and various events, each varying in scale and reward content.

«Project: Expedition» will be structured as an eight-week cycle. During this period, players will accumulate experience and progress through their respective «project.» At the beginning of the eighth week, the opportunity to conclude the project will arise and will remain available throughout the week.

If players manage to complete all the necessary stages in time, they can finish the «Expedition» during this timeframe. However, if they cannot, all progress will still be retained, allowing them to continue their «project» and reset their character in the next cycle.

What gets reset during a voluntary wipe? Character levels, skills, inventory, crafting capabilities, and all other aspects linked to game progress will be cleared. However, cosmetic items (both earned and purchased), rewards, achievements, and similar elements will be preserved. After a reset, players can skip most of the tutorial stages and immediately unlock certain features, maps, and other elements in the early stages of gameplay.

So why implement progress resets in ARC Raiders? As the developers emphasized, upon completing a «project,» gamers receive permanent upgrades, unique cosmetic rewards, and temporary enhancements for the next cycle of «Expedition.» Embark has aimed to ensure that wipes do not add pressure on users.

By introducing «projects,» the developers hope to achieve two goals: active players can regularly experience fresh content by starting over and earning bonuses, while those with less free time won’t lose their progress without consent, allowing them to continue at their own pace.

Players can battle mysterious robots in ARC Raiders from October 17 to 19 during an open stress test, accessible on all supported platforms. The full release is scheduled for October 30 for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series, featuring Russian subtitles.