ARC Raiders Update 1.42 lands on August 18, 2026, and it closes out the Phantom Targets Player Project that Embark opened with Store Update 1.40.0. If you started Part 1 already, the clock matters: the full Project ends September 6, so Part 2 gives you a tight window to claim every reward. This guide covers exactly what is confirmed for Update 1.42, why finishing Phantom Targets Part 1 before August 18 is the smart play, and how to prep your materials, blueprints, and loadout so you walk into the second half ready.
Quick answer: ARC Raiders Update 1.42 releases August 18, 2026 and unlocks Phantom Targets Part 2 plus the accompanying Phantom Targets Event and the Tick Hunter Bundle in the store. Part 1 (three stages, live since the August 4 Store Update 1.40.0) is your prep window — the entire Phantom Targets Project ends September 6, 2026, so clear Part 1 first, stock up on ammo types and gear, and jump straight into Part 2 on the 18th. Read on for the full stage breakdown and prep checklist.
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What is ARC Raiders Update 1.42?
Update 1.42 is the second beat of the Phantom Targets Player Project, the limited-time questline Embark introduced with Store Update 1.40.0 on August 4, 2026. In the story, Speranza's Shani has detected unexplained signals across the settlement's surveillance network and needs Raiders to upgrade Cargo Elevator antennas, then field-test unusual ARC parts and destruction methods topside.
The project was deliberately split in two. Part 1 has been playable since August 4. Part 2 is gated behind Update 1.42 and drops on August 18, 2026. As Embark put it in the official Store Update 1.40.0 notes:
"The second part of the Project is coming with the 1.42 Update on Aug 18, alongside the Phantom Targets Event." — arcraiders.com
That single line confirms three things at once: the patch number (1.42), the date (August 18), and that the update carries both the remaining Project stages and the accompanying Phantom Targets Event.
When does Update 1.42 release?
Update 1.42 is dated August 18, 2026 across all platforms — Embark confirmed the date directly in the Store Update 1.40.0 notes, so the patch and the Phantom Targets Event go live that day. The most important date to keep in mind is the September 6, 2026 deadline — that is when the entire Phantom Targets Project closes, taking its rewards with it. Miss the window and you miss the loot.
What's confirmed in Update 1.42?
Here is everything Embark and its patch notes have confirmed for the August 18 drop, separated from community speculation:
| Content | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Phantom Targets Part 2 | The remaining stages of the Phantom Targets Player Project | Confirmed (official 1.40.0 notes) |
| Phantom Targets Event | An event that runs alongside the Project stages | Confirmed (official 1.40.0 notes) |
| Tick Hunter Bundle | New store bundle arriving on all storefronts August 18 | Confirmed (official 1.40.0 notes) |
| Project deadline | Whole Project ends September 6, 2026 | Confirmed |
Note that a new map condition has been floated in community threads, but Embark's official notes have not confirmed one for 1.42 as of this writing — treat that as unverified until the patch notes land. What is nailed down is the Part 2 stages, the Phantom Targets Event, and the Tick Hunter Bundle.
How does the Phantom Targets Project work?
Phantom Targets follows the same rhythm as the earlier Converging Paths and Avian Alarm projects: complete the active stage's objective during raids, return to the Projects tab in the Raider menu in Speranza, and claim the reward to unlock the next stage. The twist is that Part 1 is action-based, not donation-based — you do not extract or submit ARC parts through the Project menu. You just complete the listed actions during a run.
To open it: launch the Raider menu in Speranza, select the Projects tab, open Phantom Targets, complete the active objective in a raid, then return and claim.
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Phantom Targets Part 1 stages (finish these before August 18)
Part 1 is three stages, and clearing them now is your prep for Part 2. The exact objectives:
| Stage | Objective |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 — Upgrade Cargo Elevator Antennas | Upgrade three antennas found on top of Cargo Elevators |
| Stage 2 — Test ARC Parts for Irregular Behavior | Deal 50 damage with Pop Triggers, 500 damage with Wasp Drivers, and 1,000 damage with the Leaper Pulse Unit |
| Stage 3 — Test Multiple ARC Destruction Methods | Deal 1,500 damage with fire-damage items, destroy 3 Bastions, Leapers, Vaporizers or Rocketeers with energy weapons, and destroy 20 flying ARC with Launcher Ammo weapons |
Stage 1 tip: the eligible Cargo Elevators — the large standard extraction structures, not Raider Hatches or Metro stations — appear on Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides. Dam Battlegrounds is the fastest for this stage because it has several standard extraction points you can reach without crossing the whole map. Load in with a free or cheap loadout, climb the sloped outer section of a Cargo Elevator, and interact with the antenna.
Stage 2 and 3 tips: these want specific ARC parts and damage types — Pop Triggers, Wasp Drivers, and the Leaper Pulse Unit for Stage 2, then fire-damage items (Blaze Grenade, Firefly Burner, Fireball Burner, Flame Spray), energy weapons (Aphelion, Dolabra, Jupiter, Equalizer) against Bastions, Leapers, Vaporizers or Rocketeers, and Launcher Ammo against flying ARC for Stage 3. That means walking in with the right consumables and blueprints matters far more than usual. A run kitted for straight bullet damage will not tick these objectives.
How to prep for Update 1.42
Because Stages 2 and 3 gate on damage types and specific ARC-part items rather than raw kills, prep is the difference between clearing Part 1 in a couple of runs and grinding for days. A clean checklist before August 18:
- Clear all of Part 1 now. Every stage you finish before the 18th is a stage you are not scrambling to complete inside the shrinking window to September 6.
- Stock the right weapons and ammo. Stage 3 needs fire-damage items, energy weapons, and Launcher Ammo. Unlock any weapon blueprints you are missing, then craft the Launcher Ammo and fire items from materials at the Workbench ahead of time — Launcher Ammo does not need a blueprint, just the materials.
- Bank the ARC parts you will need. Pop Triggers, Wasp Drivers, and the Leaper Pulse Unit come off specific ARC machines — farm a stockpile so Stage 2 is a formality.
- Keep a cheap "objective" loadout. Antenna upgrades and part-testing runs do not need your best gear. Save the premium kit for the Event on the 18th.
- Have materials in reserve. New event modes reward players who can re-craft and re-equip fast between deaths — a buffer of common and rare materials keeps you in the loop instead of sitting in the workshop.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does ARC Raiders Update 1.42 come out? Update 1.42 releases on August 18, 2026 across all platforms. It unlocks Phantom Targets Part 2, the Phantom Targets Event, and the Tick Hunter Bundle in the store.
What is the Phantom Targets Event in ARC Raiders? Phantom Targets is a limited-time Player Project added with Store Update 1.40.0 on August 4, 2026. Part 1 (three action-based stages) is live now; Part 2 and the Phantom Targets Event arrive with Update 1.42 on August 18. The entire Project ends September 6, 2026.
Should I finish Phantom Targets Part 1 before August 18? Yes. Clearing all three Part 1 stages before Update 1.42 lands frees up the shrinking window to September 6 for Part 2 and the Event. Part 1 is also action-based — you complete objectives during raids rather than donating materials — so it is quick if you bring the right ammo types.
Where do I upgrade the Cargo Elevator antennas? Stage 1 antennas sit on top of standard Cargo Elevator extraction structures on Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides. Dam Battlegrounds is the easiest because its standard extracts are close together. Climb the sloped outer section and interact with the antenna — these are the big extraction elevators, not Raider Hatches or Metro stations.
Does Update 1.42 add a new map condition? Embark's official notes have not confirmed a new map condition for 1.42 as of this writing, despite community speculation. What is confirmed is Phantom Targets Part 2, the Phantom Targets Event, and the Tick Hunter Bundle. Check the official patch notes on August 18 for the final list.
What damage types do the Phantom Targets stages require? Stage 2 wants damage from Pop Triggers, Wasp Drivers, and the Leaper Pulse Unit. Stage 3 wants 1,500 damage from fire-damage items, three Bastions, Leapers, Vaporizers or Rocketeers destroyed with energy weapons, and 20 flying ARC destroyed with Launcher Ammo. Unlock the weapon blueprints and craft the Launcher Ammo and fire items from materials before you queue.
Sources: arcraiders.com Store Update 1.40.0 patch notes; official ARC Raiders news; ARC Raiders community wiki. Update 1.42 releases August 18, 2026 — verify final content against the official patch notes on the day. Published by Strain for timesaver.gg.
