ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Prep Guide: 7 Things to Do Before October 8

Frozen Trail lands on October 8, 2026 — Embark's biggest ARC Raiders update since launch: a new frozen map, a new ARC Operation, an Outpost, reworked Skill Trees and Raider Decks, plus the retirement of Cred. The problem: a couple of those changes have a hard deadline, and if you wait until launch day you lose things you can't get back. One — the 5th Expedition — is also a genuine fork, because departing it resets a big chunk of your progress by design. This guide ranks what to do in the two weeks left: what has a real cutoff, which Expedition path to pick, what's worth stockpiling, and what's just noise.

Quick answer: Before October 8, in order: (1) spend every last Cred — it expires with no refund, (2) make the 5th Expedition call before it departs September 29 — sign up to depart for the rewards (which resets your inventory, Coins, level and workshop when the window closes), or don't sign up and keep everything, (3) if departing, protect up to 5 items via Ermal's Expedition Vault since most gear and Coins wipe, (4) if staying, bank materials and Coins for post-launch crafting, and (5) clear stash space for new gear. Frozen Trail itself forces no wipe — your account carries over — but a voluntary Expedition departure resets most in-run progress, so know your path before you stockpile.

Key Takeaways

• Cred expires October 8 — spend it before the update or lose it. (800 soft cap, but pre-existing balances above 800 are kept.)
• Frozen Trail forces no wipe. Embark has announced no progression reset tied to the October 8 update, so your account carries in.
• The 5th Expedition departs September 29 — a separate, earlier deadline and a real fork. Per Embark's official reset table, departing resets: Inventory Items, Coins, Blueprints (learned unlocks), Player Level, Skill Points, Raider Den, Workshop, Stash Upgrade Progress. (Quest progress is kept by default; you can opt in to resetting it.)
• What survives a departure: Raider Tokens, Cred, Merits, Raider Decks Progress, Trials, Codex, unlocked maps, cosmetics — plus up to 5 items in Ermal's Expedition Vault. Coins and raw materials do NOT survive, so don't "bank Coins" as a safe play if you plan to depart.
• If you're staying, free up stash space to loot the new frozen map hard on day one. (The Expedition grants +12 bonus Expedition stash slots, capping at 60 — separate from ordinary stash.)
• Skill Tree and Raider Decks are being reworked — existing Raider Deck rewards migrate to the new system, and Raider Deck progress is account-level (kept through a departure), so it survives the rework.

What Is Coming in Frozen Trail?

Frozen Trail is confirmed for October 8, 2026 on the official ARC Raiders site. It marks Embark's shift to fewer, larger updates — roughly twice a year — which is why this one is so dense. Everything officially confirmed so far:

Feature	What's confirmed
New map	A frozen settlement beneath towering mountains at the edge of the Rust Belt — the largest map to date, built around verticality and exploration
New ARC Operation	"An enormous new ARC Operation designed for experienced Raiders" (Embark's phrasing)
New ARC enemies	Several new machines, "from a small nifty problem-maker to an enormous machine" (names not yet revealed)
Outpost	A persistent player space to decorate and use to research the world — "first steps to reclaiming the surface"
Skill Tree rework	Redesigned to give players more agency over Raider builds
Raider Deck rework	Reworked around a new, more expansive reward system; existing rewards migrate over
Cred retirement	Cred is being removed as a currency and expires October 8

Embark is hosting a Frozen Trail First Look showcase on September 23 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 7pm CEST on the official ARC Raiders YouTube channel, where the new map, enemies, weapons, and gadgets get their first detailed reveal. Exact names — the map, the new enemies, the Operation — aren't officially confirmed yet, so treat any specific names floating around as unverified until the showcase.

1. Spend Every Last Cred Before It's Gone

This is the one true deadline with a real cost. Embark confirmed in Live Update 1.45.0 that Cred is being retired: "As we look ahead to Frozen Trail and a rework to Raider Decks, we'll be making changes to the Cred currency. It will remain usable until October 8, so be sure to use any remaining Cred before then."

Embark's wording is simple: Cred expires with the update — spend it before October 8 or it's gone. Cred has an 800 soft cap, so most active players won't have a huge pile, but pre-existing balances above 800 are kept until spent — so if you took a break or sat on rewards, this matters more for you.

Where to spend it before October 8:

• Shani's stall in Speranza — the trader who still accepts Cred.
• Raider Deck rewards — unlock anything you're close to. All existing rewards carry into the new system, and anything already claimed is kept, so unlocking now is pure upside.

Don't overthink it. Log on, empty your Cred into Deck unlocks or Shani's shop, done — five minutes, and the single highest-priority task on this list.

2. Finish Raider Deck Rewards You're Close To

Because the Raider Decks are being reworked into a new reward system, close out any reward you're a step or two from. Embark has confirmed all existing Raider Deck rewards will be available in the new system, and Raider Deck progress is account-level — on the "kept" side of the reset table, so it carries through both the rework and a departure. This pairs with spending Cred: the Decks are one of the two places (alongside Shani's stall) where Cred is best used before October 8.

3. Make the 5th Expedition Call (Departs September 29)

This is a different, earlier deadline than Cred — conflating the two is the most common mistake right now. The 5th Expedition departs September 29, 2026 (10am CEST); Cred expires October 8. Separate systems, separate clocks, and a genuine fork.

Here's the part most "prep" checklists get wrong, and it decides what's safe to stockpile: departing an Expedition is Embark's voluntary reset mechanic, and it resets more than people think. Per Embark's reset table, departure resets Inventory Items, Coins, Blueprints (learned unlocks), Player Level, ordinary Skill Points, Stash Upgrade Progress, Raider Den, and Workshop (permanent bonus Skill Points from Expeditions are kept). It keeps Raider Tokens, Cred, Merits, Raider Deck progress, Trials, Codex, unlocked maps and cosmetics — Quest progress too, by default (you can opt in to reset it) — plus up to 5 items you place in Ermal's Expedition Vault, the only way inventory survives. So "cash out your loot into Coins before departing" is backwards — Coins reset too; only Raider Tokens, Cred and Merits carry value across.

Signing up isn't the reset, either: you sign up during the window, then all signed-up Raiders depart together automatically when it closes September 29 (10am CEST). Until then you play normally. So you have two paths:

• Sign up to depart before September 29 for the Expedition rewards, which follow your personal Expedition progression — this is not a flat payout for everyone in the calendar window. Your first three personal Expeditions award challenge Skill Points; from your fourth personal Expedition onward, those challenges instead pay 150 Raider Tokens each (permanent) and Mystery-Reward blueprints. Every departure grants +12 bonus Expedition stash slots (capping at 60, separate from ordinary stash). The Zenith Outfit completes only after all five personal Expeditions (a veteran payoff). Consecutive buffs (XP, Scrappy materials, repair) cap at 3 levels and persist through the early-2027 pause. Trade-off: inventory, Coins, Blueprints, level and workshop reset — so spend big before the window closes and Vault your 5 best items.
• Don't sign up if you'd rather walk into Frozen Trail with your current stash, Coins, gear and level intact. You skip the rewards and avoid the voluntary reset — though note Caravans reset regardless, with any partially-completed Caravan replaced by an equal-value Ermal Voucher.

The 5th Expedition is the last until early 2027, so this is your final window for the token payout. Just know departing and stockpiling are opposite plays — pick one.

4. Bank Materials and Coins for Post-Launch Crafting

A new map with new gear means new crafting recipes — and the first days after a big update are always a scramble for materials. This step is for players staying put, because raw materials, Coins, and stash items are exactly what a departure resets. If you're staying:

• Stockpile core crafting materials now. ARC Alloy, Electrical Components, Plastic Parts, Chemicals and other staples will feed whatever the new recipes demand. Farming them at current spawn rates beats fighting the whole server for them on launch day. (Exact new recipes aren't confirmed yet, so treat this as a practical hedge, not a shopping list.)
• Bank Coins. Coins (your main trader currency) are not being retired — only Cred is — so a Coin balance carries through the October 8 update and lets you buy Raider Hatch Keys, gear, and materials the moment Frozen Trail drops. (Coins don't survive an Expedition departure, so this only applies if you're staying.)

If your material stash is thin and you're staying through launch, topping up now is the fastest way to hit day one ready to build instead of ready to farm.

Want to hit Frozen Trail already stocked instead of scavenging from zero?

• ARC Raiders Materials — from $0.02 — all rarities, instant delivery, so your workshop is ready for new recipes on day one.
• ARC Raiders Blueprints — from $0.99 — unlock rare weapons and gear before the meta resets on the new map.
• All ARC Raiders services — leveling, carries, and more to prep for launch.

5. Clear Stash Space for the New Map

This one is also for players staying put — if you depart, your Stash Upgrade Progress resets anyway. The 5th Expedition grants +12 bonus Expedition stash slots (capping at 60, on top of ordinary Speranza capacity). A brand-new, exploration-focused map that Embark calls the largest yet means a flood of new loot to sort — go in with a stash full of old junk and you're dumping valuable finds on the floor.

Spend the next two weeks recycling, selling, or crafting down anything you're hoarding "just in case." Keep your best gear, blueprints, and staple materials; clear the rest. Walking in with 15–20 free slots turns your first raids into profit instead of an inventory headache.

6. Test Your Builds Before the Skill Tree Changes

The Skill Tree is being redesigned to give you more agency over Raider builds, with the Raider Decks reworked alongside it. Good news — but your current build may play differently after launch. Use the time to:

• Wrap up any Raider Den goals and Augments you're chasing — these are separate systems from the Skill Tree, but now's a natural time to tidy your progression.
• Try a couple of Skill Tree loadouts you've been ignoring, so you know what to rebuild once the new tree is live.
• Practice coordinated extractions — Embark describes the new ARC Operation as "enormous ... designed for experienced Raiders," so it rewards coordinated squads.

7. Don't Panic — There's No Confirmed Wipe

Every big overhaul sparks the same fear: "Am I going to lose everything?" Based on what Embark has announced, the answer is no. There is no forced wipe or mandatory progression reset tied to the October 8 update itself — your level, stash, Coins, blueprints, and unlocks carry into the new map.

Two caveats. First, Cred genuinely disappears on October 8 (see #1). Second — where "no wipe" takes go wrong — Expeditions are Embark's reset mechanic. If you depart the 5th Expedition (closes September 29), you voluntarily reset inventory, Coins, learned Blueprints, level, ordinary skill points, workshop and Raider Den; Raider Tokens, Cred, Merits, Raider Deck progress and Trials are kept. So: the October 8 update won't wipe you, but departing the Expedition will reset most of your Raider — decide your path, then prepare accordingly. Spend your Cred either way, and if you're staying, bank materials and clear space before launch.

FAQ

Does ARC Raiders wipe with Frozen Trail on October 8? The October 8 update itself forces no wipe — your account carries over, and the only thing removed is Cred. But Expeditions are Embark's reset mechanic: voluntarily departing an Expedition (the 5th closes September 29) resets your inventory, Coins, learned Blueprints, level, skill points, workshop and Raider Den, while keeping Raider Tokens, Cred, Merits, Raider Deck progress, Trials, Codex, cosmetics, unlocked maps and up to 5 items in Ermal's Expedition Vault. That reset is a choice, not something Frozen Trail forces on you.

When exactly does Cred expire? Cred remains usable until October 8, 2026, the day Frozen Trail launches, then expires with the update. Spend it at Shani's stall or on Raider Deck rewards before then — all existing Deck rewards migrate into the new system, and anything already claimed is kept.

I have thousands of Cred from before the cap — do I lose it all? Whatever Cred is left in your wallet when Frozen Trail lands expires. Cred has an 800 soft cap, but pre-existing balances above 800 are kept until you spend them — so if you're sitting on an old pile, log on and spend it on Deck unlocks or Shani's shop before October 8.

Is the 5th Expedition deadline the same as the Cred deadline? No — they're separate. You sign up before the 5th Expedition departs September 29; Cred expires October 8. They also work differently: Cred simply expires, while departing the Expedition is a voluntary reset that trades your inventory, Coins, Blueprints, level and workshop for permanent Raider Tokens and bonus stash slots. Make the Expedition call before the 29th, handle Cred before the 8th.

What should I stockpile before Frozen Trail? If you're staying: core crafting materials (ARC Alloy, Electrical Components, Plastic Parts, Chemicals), Coins, and free stash space. If you're departing, most of that resets — Coins, materials and learned Blueprints all wipe; only Raider Tokens, Cred, Merits and the up-to-5 Vault items survive. So stockpiling only makes sense if you're staying; departers should spend down and Vault their best items instead.

What time does the Frozen Trail First Look showcase start? The First Look premieres September 23 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 7pm CEST on the official ARC Raiders YouTube channel, revealing the new map, enemies, weapons, and gadgets ahead of the October 8 launch.