Arc Raiders WIPE System - Expedition Project Complete Guide

The WIPE system in Arc Raiders is officially a voluntary reset through Expedition Project, but every second season it becomes practically mandatory due to competitive disadvantage. You need to be level 20+ and complete 5 caravan phases. After wiping, you lose level, blueprints, and stash content, but keep CREDS, COINS, and cosmetics. Rewards include skins, colors, emotes, +20 stash slots, and +2 skill points. After your first wipe, you'll have 78 skill points – players without wipes will only have 76, putting you at a long-term competitive disadvantage. Full reward details drop December 4th from Embark Studios.

When I first heard that Arc Raiders was making their WIPE system "voluntary," I thought it was a brilliant idea. But the more I analyzed the math and long-term implications, the clearer it became that this is voluntary only on paper. Reality? If you don't want to be at a massive disadvantage compared to other players, you need to wipe at least every second season. Otherwise, you become a second-class raider with fewer skill points and an inferior setup.

What is the WIPE System in Arc Raiders - And Why "Voluntary" is Just an Illusion

WIPE (or character reset) is a mechanic known from extraction shooters like Escape From Tarkov, where you periodically lose all progress and start completely from scratch. In Arc Raiders, however, Embark Studios introduced a seemingly revolutionary approach – a system called Expedition Project, which is voluntary on paper.

But here's the reality Embark won't tell you directly: After two seasons without wiping, you'll have 4 fewer skill points than players who wipe regularly. That's not a cosmetic difference – that's a game-changing handicap that puts you at a disadvantage in every PvP encounter and most PvE situations.

According to Virgil Watkins, design director of Arc Raiders: 

"We're not going to do mandatory wipes. We want to respect everyone's invested time."

Nice words. But the math says something different.

Why Arc Raiders WIPE is "Voluntarily Mandatory"

The Math of Disadvantage - Why You Can't Skip More Than 1 Wipe

Here's the brutal truth you need to understand:

Skill Point Handicap Timeline

See that? After two seasons (16 weeks), you're down 4 skill points. That means an entire skill branch missing from your build. In PvP, that translates to worse mobility, lower damage, or weaker survival. In PvE, it means farming takes longer and becomes riskier.

⚠️ Warning: Embark says "voluntary," but game design says "mandatory every second season if you don't want to be gimped." That's not a choice – that's soft-forcing with extra steps.

How Expedition Project Works - Step by Step

Expedition Project unlocks at level 20 and functions as a long-term quest preparing you for the reset. The entire process has 5 phases you must complete during the 8-week cycle.

Phase 1-5: Building the Caravan

Think of it as a prestige system from Call of Duty, but with narrative subtext. In the game's lore, your character collects resources and prepares a caravan for an expedition beyond the known area (Rust Belt). Once the caravan departs, your Raider disappears with it – and you start with a new character at level 1.

Each phase requires:

✓ Collection of specific resources from your stash
✓ Completion of expedition-linked quests
✓ Contributions to the caravan (materials, food, equipment)
✓ Time investment (40-60 hours of pure gameplay)
✓ Strategic planning (some items are rare)

💡 Pro tip: Don't throw away rare materials unnecessarily. Some items from later expedition phases are genuinely challenging to obtain, and you might regret selling them earlier.

Finalization Window - The Week of Decision

During the 8th week of the cycle, a finalization window opens where you can complete the expedition and perform the WIPE. If you don't complete all 5 phases in time, your progress carries over to the next cycle – you don't lose anything, you just have to wait another 8 weeks.

The first official WIPE window is December 15-21, 2025 – meaning you have from October 30 to December 14 to complete all phases.

What You Lose During Arc Raiders WIPE

When you decide to WIPE, you lose practically everything tied to your character. It's a hard reset, so think twice before hitting that button.

List of Losses After WIPE

❌ Level - Back to level 1
❌ Skill Points - All allocated points reset (but you gain +2 extra)
❌ Blueprints - All crafting recipes disappear
❌ Inventory - Everything you're wearing or carrying
❌ Stash content - All stored items
❌ Workshop progress - Base upgrades
❌ Crafting capabilities - Advanced crafting options
❌ Quests - Progress in main storyline

⚠️ Warning: This isn't a joke. When you click "Finalize Expedition," there's no going back. Everything vanishes and you genuinely start from zero. Make sure you're ready.

What You Keep After WIPE - Your Investment

Fortunately, not everything disappears. Embark Studios respects your time investment, and some things remain permanent on your account.

What Survives WIPE

✓ CREDS - Premium currency for Raider Deck
✓ COINS - In-game currency for traders and stash upgrades
✓ Cosmetic items - Skins, colors, emotes (earned and purchased)
✓ Achievements - All unlocked achievements
✓ Rankings - Your standing in the community
✓ Raider Deck - All unlocked cards
✓ Raider Tokens - Special currency
✓ Unlocked maps - No need to rediscover them
✓ Workshop Stations - Basic stations remain
✓ Codex Entries - Lore you've found

💡 Pro tip: COINS are extremely important for stash expansion. You can expand your stash up to 280 slots, so after WIPE you have a massive advantage if you invested enough currency before the reset.

Why Keeping CREDS and COINS is a Game-Changer

Here's why currency preservation is so critical:

CREDS allow you to purchase from the Raider Deck, which is essentially Arc Raiders' battle pass. It contains cosmetics, XP boosts, and other useful items. If you invested in CREDS before wiping, after the reset you can immediately buy progression boosts and level up faster.

COINS are your lifeline. You use them to buy from traders in Speranza, but mainly to expand your stash. If you have a 280-slot stash before wiping and still have all your COINS after, you can quickly re-upgrade your stash and have a huge advantage over fresh beginners.

Rewards for WIPE - What You Get in Exchange for "Voluntarily" Sacrificing Progress

Why would you voluntarily reset your character? Because if you don't, you'll be at a disadvantage. Embark isn't just offering bragging rights – they're giving you concrete gameplay advantages that accumulate and create an exponential gap between wipe and no-wipe players.

Confirmed Rewards for First WIPE

After completing your first expedition, you receive:

✓ Exclusive skins - Unique cosmetics showing your status
✓ Color variants - New colors for already unlocked skins
✓ Emotes - Special animations for communication
✓ Backpack attachments - Cosmetic additions to your backpack
✓ +20 stash slots - Permanent upgrade (up to 300+ slots after multiple wipes)
✓ +2 Skill Points - Extra points for skill tree
✓ Tutorial skip - Skip onboarding and start faster

The Math of Skill Points - Why You CAN'T Ignore Wipes

Here's the most important part you need to understand:

Reality: After two seasons without wiping (16 weeks), you'll have 4 fewer skill points. That's not a cosmetic difference. In an extraction shooter where every stat point counts, a 5% handicap is lethal.

Speculation vs. Reality - What's Coming December 4th

What I've described here are the confirmed basic rewards. But Embark Studios suggests the actual scope of rewards will be much larger. December 4, 2025, an official PR article will drop revealing the complete reward pool for the first expedition.

According to leaks and speculation, this could include:

• XP boosts for faster leveling
• Account buffs (temporary or permanent bonuses)
• Unique titles and badges
• Priority access to new content
• Exclusive weapon skins
• Pet companions or other cosmetic additions

But those are just speculations. Reality is, nobody knows exactly how generous the rewards will be. That's why I recommend waiting until Dec 4th and then deciding if the first WIPE is worth it for you.

Does WIPE Make Sense? - My Personal Take (Spoiler: YOU MUST)

As a tryharder who loves optimization and long-term progress, I can tell you the hard truth: If you plan to play Arc Raiders competitively or long-term, you have no choice. You must wipe at least every second season, or you become a second-class raider.

Who MUST WIPE (AKA Everyone Taking the Game Seriously)

✓ **Tryhardersyou're dead meat in PvP without wipes
✓ Competitive players - Skill point gap = gg
✓ Long-term players - Every week without wiping distances you from meta
✓ PvP-focused players - Without max skill points you have no chance
✓ Content creators - You need to be relevant, not gimped
✓ Anyone wanting efficiency - Simple math

Who Can "Skip" WIPE (AKA Casuals Not Caring About Meta)

❌ Ultra casual players playing 2 hours weekly
❌ People only playing PvE (but even there you'll be slower)
❌ Those without time for 40-60h grind every 16 weeks
❌ Players okay with being sub-optimal
❌ Those lacking skill floor to complete expedition

⚠️ Common mistake: Many people think "voluntary" means "optional without consequences." No. Voluntary means "you can choose whether you'll be competitive or gimped."

WIPE vs. No WIPE - Reality vs. Marketing

Embark tells you that you have a choice. But here's what they're not telling you:

Scenario 1: Do Every 2nd WIPE (Realistic Path)

Pros:

• Stay competitive with meta players
• Skill point gap doesn't exceed 2-4 points
• Reasonable time investment (40-60h every 16 weeks)
• Still have time for endgame enjoyment between wipes
• Balanced approach between grind and fun

Cons:

• Must plan time for expeditions every 16 weeks
• Lose loot regularly (but not as often as every cycle)
• Still significant work to complete expedition
• Deadline stress, though less intense

Scenario 2: Never WIPE (Casual Trap)

Pros:

• Keep all loot and progress
• No stress with expedition deadlines
• Can play at your own pace
• "Freedom of choice" (on paper)

Cons:

• After 16 weeks: -4 skill points (= 5.3% handicap)
• After 24 weeks: -6 skill points (= 7.9% handicap)
• After a year: -10+ skill points (= game over in PvP)
• Smaller stash capacity than wipe players
• Missing exclusive cosmetics
• Look like casual noob even with 500+ hours
• Every PvP encounter is automatic disadvantage

Scenario 3: Do Every WIPE (Hardcore Path)

Pros:

• Maximum skill points quickly
• Largest stash capacity
• All exclusive cosmetics
• Elite status in community
• Competitive edge over everyone

Cons:

• Extreme time investment (40-60h every 8 weeks)
• Losing loot every 2 months = frustrating
• High burnout risk
• Constant grind without end
• Might not be sustainable long-term

💡 Pro tip (and reality): Selective wiping every 2nd season is the only sustainable strategy for 95% of the player base. You get the skill point boost, maintain your sanity, and won't be at critical handicap. Embark designed it this way intentionally – they want you to wipe regularly, they just won't tell you directly.

What the Community Says - Reddit and Discord Reality

The Arc Raiders community quickly saw through this system:

Realistic reactions:

• "Voluntary on paper, mandatory in practice. Classic game dev bullshit."
• "After two seasons without wiping I'm dead meat in PvP. It's not a choice."
• "Skill point gap is game breaking. This isn't 'respecting player time.'"
• "Embark says voluntary, game design says mandatory every 2nd season."
• "Just admit mandatory wipes instead of this soft-forcing nonsense."

Defensive reactions (from Embark apologists):

• "It's innovative, give them time!"
• "If you don't want to wipe, you don't have to!" (lol, ok enjoy -10 skill points)
• "It's better than Tarkov!" (better how? At deceiving players about "choice"?)

Pragmatic players:

• "Planning to wipe every 2nd season. Otherwise it makes no sense."
• "Will definitely do first wipe, then see how big the skill gap is."
• "Got it, wiping every 16 weeks. Still better than Tarkov every 4 months."

Personally, I think Embark could have been more transparent. Instead of saying "voluntary," they should have said: "Every 16 weeks we strongly recommend you wipe, or you'll be at a disadvantage." At least that would be honest.

The Future of WIPE System - What to Expect

Embark Studios listens to feedback and according to their PR communication, they're open to adjustments. We can expect:

Possible Future Changes:

• Skill point rebalance (reduce bonus to +1 per wipe?)
• Alternative paths to skill points (event rewards, challenges)
• Mandatory wipes annually (for full economy reset)
• Seasonal leaderboards separated for wipe/no-wipe
• Matchmaking separation (wipe vs. no-wipe players?)
• Guild expeditions (entire guild wipes together)

💡 Pro tip: Watch patch notes and community updates. If Embark sees most players don't want soft-forced wipes, they might rework the system or introduce a skill point cap for non-wipe players. But I'm betting that's wishful thinking.

Final Summary - The Hard Reality

The WIPE system in Arc Raiders is voluntary only technically. In practice, if you want to be competitive and don't want a skill point handicap, you must wipe at least every second season. Expedition Project offers:

✓ +2 skill points per wipe (critical for PvP)
✓ +20 stash slots permanently
✓ Exclusive cosmetics
✓ Preservation of CREDS and COINS
✓ Tutorial skip

But also means:

❌ Loss of all progress every 16 weeks
❌ 40-60h grind to complete expedition
❌ Soft-forcing under guise of "choice"
❌ Growing gap between wipe and no-wipe players

The first window is December 15-21, 2025. I recommend waiting for the PR article on Dec 4th for complete reward info, but I expect most of the competitive community will do the first wipe. If you plan to play Arc Raiders long-term, accept the reality: You'll be wiping every 2nd season, or you'll be gimped.

That's the truth Embark won't tell you directly. But math doesn't lie.

FAQ

Q: Do I have to WIPE in Arc Raiders?
A: Technically no, practically yes every second season. If you skip 2+ wipes, you'll have -4 to -6 skill points compared to others, which is a massive handicap in PvP and PvE efficiency.

Q: What do I lose during WIPE in Arc Raiders?
A: You lose level, skill points, blueprints, inventory, stash content, workshop progress, and quests. Essentially everything tied to your character.

Q: What do I keep after WIPE?
A: You keep CREDS, COINS, cosmetics, achievements, rankings, Raider Deck, unlocked maps, and workshop stations. Everything that's "meta-game" or purchased with real money.

Q: How many skill points will I have after first WIPE?
A: After first WIPE you'll have 78 skill points total (76 base + 2 bonus). Players without wipe will only have 76, creating a 2.6% gap that grows with each subsequent wipe.

Q: How long does it take to complete Expedition Project?
A: Realistically 40-60 hours of pure gameplay during the 8-week cycle. It's not a quick affair.

Q: Can I WIPE anytime?
A: No, you can only WIPE during the finalization window in the 8th week of the cycle. First window is December 15-21, 2025.

Q: Is WIPE worth it for the rewards?
A: Yes, if you want to be competitive. +2 skill points are game-changing, not cosmetic. After 5 wipes you have +10 points (13% advantage) = dominance in PvP.

Q: When will details about all WIPE rewards come?
A: Embark Studios will publish the complete reward pool on December 4, 2025 in an official PR article.

Q: Can I do just one WIPE and then stop?
A: Technically yes, but it's not smart. After two seasons without wiping you'll have -4 skill points. You must wipe every 2nd season minimum to maintain competitive edge.

Q: Is Arc Raiders WIPE really voluntary?
A: On paper yes, in practice no. Embark says "voluntary," but math says "mandatory every 2nd season if you don't want to be gimped." It's a soft-mandatory system.

Related Articles