Arc Raiders is shutting down Expeditions “until early 2027” to make “major improvements” after mountains of feedback
Embark Studios has announced that it is temporarily shutting down the Expeditions mode in Arc Raiders, with the feature not expected to return until early 2027. The developer says the pause is intended to allow time for "major improvements" to the mode, following a large volume of player feedback since its introduction. The move signals that the studio is prioritising reworking the feature properly over rushing out incremental fixes while it remains live.
Specific details of what changes are planned have not been fully outlined, but the extended timeline—stretching into next year—suggests the overhaul is substantial rather than a quick patch. The decision follows what the developer describes as extensive community feedback on Expeditions since launch, indicating the current version fell short of player expectations in its present form.
- Arc Raiders' Expeditions mode is being pulled until early 2027.
- Embark Studios cites heavy player feedback as the reason.
- The pause allows time for "major improvements" before its return.
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Arc Raiders is an online action game made by Swedish developer Embark Studios. Players explore a dangerous world, gather supplies and face both computer-controlled enemies and other players.
Expeditions is a mode in which players send their character on a journey, with progress and rewards tied to that trip. How the mode works can affect players’ longer-term plans in the game, so changes to it may matter to people who have invested time in building up their characters.
Player feedback is one way developers learn how people experience a game after launch. Reworking a mode can take time, particularly if its rules or rewards need broader changes.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The developer is demonstrating principled commitment to player feedback by dedicating full resources to substantial reworking rather than releasing incremental patches to a fundamentally flawed feature. Taking Expeditions offline until early 2027 signals genuine seriousness about improvement and respects players' time by eventually delivering a properly overhauled experience rather than perpetuating frustration with a broken system.
The case against
An extended shutdown removes the feature entirely for a year, which is arguably worse than allowing players continued access to an imperfect mode. Live service games typically improve through iterative patches whilst maintaining player engagement; a lengthy removal risks damaging overall player retention in Arc Raiders. The timeline also suggests either inadequate initial planning or unrealistic scope, leaving players without a mode they want whilst waiting indefinitely for improvements that may not materialise as promised.