It depends on what you value: an Expedition trades your current Raider’s level, skills, XP, inventory, stash, and crafting progress for the chance to restart and earn cycle-specific rewards. It is optional, and Embark has not published representative polling showing that most fans think it is not worth doing. The fifth Expedition ended September 29, 2026; Embark says the system will pause until early 2027 for larger changes, so its next rules and rewards are not yet established.
What an Expedition does—and what it costs
Embark designed Expeditions as an alternative to mandatory global wipes: players who want a fresh start can choose one, while others can keep playing their current Raider. The Expedition Project unlocks at Raider level 20. You complete the project and then decide whether to reset during its scheduled finalization window. If you are not ready in time, Embark’s support FAQ says you can continue progress toward a later window. Embark’s overview explains the design, while the support FAQ gives the general reset and carryover rules.
Progress that resets
- Raider level, skills, and XP
- Inventory and stash items
- Crafting progress
Progress and items that carry over
- Cosmetics and purchased items
- Raider Tokens and Cred
- Raider Deck progress
- Codex entries and unlocked maps
- Bonuses earned from previous Expeditions
Quest progress needs a cycle-specific check: for the fifth Expedition, Embark said players could opt out of resetting quest progress. That detail should not be treated as a permanent rule for every future cycle.
Why players may decide it is not worth it
The reset can outweigh the reward
If your main goal is to preserve a well-equipped Raider or keep building uninterrupted, losing levels, skills, XP, stored gear, and crafting progress is a substantial cost. Account-level carryover does not preserve that character progression. The reset may be a poor trade for players who do not enjoy rebuilding or who place more value on their current loadout than on a cycle’s rewards.
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The grind and timing have drawn feedback
Embark has acknowledged concerns about reward structure, accessibility for newer players, narrow departure windows, repeated quests, and players feeling compelled to grind. In a February 19, 2026 interview, design director Virgil Watkins said the original five-million-coin calibration overshot how much players felt they had to engage with the system or chase its rewards. He described Expeditions as an optional reset for players who want to repeat the loop, while allowing others to stay on their current character. PC Gamer’s interview with Watkins discusses that adjustment.
Past requirements are not promises about the next cycle
Embark has changed how rewards were earned between cycles. For the second Expedition, it lowered the maximum-reward stash-value target to 3 million coins for five skill points and added catch-up points for missed earlier rewards. For the third, it replaced stash-value earning for that cycle’s five bonus skill points with a damage challenge and extended the window after feedback. Those are historical examples of iteration, not requirements to use when judging a future Expedition. Embark’s second-Expedition announcement and third-Expedition announcement describe those cycle-specific rules.
What the fifth Expedition offered—and what is known about the pause
The fifth Expedition ran from September 8 through September 29, 2026. Its announced rewards included the complete Zenith Outfit, mystery rewards, up to 60 stash space from Expeditions, and a cap of 15 bonus skill points. In that cycle, missed points could be caught up through stash value until the 15-point cap was reached. XP, Scrappy materials, and repair-value consecutive buffs each capped at three levels; Embark said earned consecutive buffs would persist during the pause.
Embark described the fifth as the last Expedition until early 2027 and said the pause would allow larger changes addressing concerns including rewards, new-player accessibility, and departure windows. These fifth-cycle rewards and mechanics should not be assumed to return unchanged. Check Embark’s fifth-Expedition announcement for the cycle’s details; the rules for the next one depend on its eventual announcement.
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How to decide whether to join the next cycle
Use the actual next-cycle announcement rather than an old coin threshold or challenge as your guide. Compare what you stand to lose with the rewards that cycle really offers, and consider whether you enjoy the restart itself.
- Consider joining if rebuilding your Raider sounds enjoyable and the announced cosmetics, account benefits, or capped rewards matter more to you than the progress you reset.
- Consider skipping if preserving your current build and stored items matters more, or if the available rewards do not justify rebuilding for you.
- Wait for confirmed details if your choice depends on a particular reward, requirement, or reset rule; the fifth cycle has ended, and future rules have not been established.
Do fans think the Expedition Project is not worth it?
There is evidence that some players raised concerns and that Embark changed cycle rules in response, but the official sources and interview cited here do not establish how many fans oppose the system or that a majority considers it not worthwhile. The title’s “fans think” framing is a debate prompt, not a measured consensus.
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