The first Expedition reset in ARC Raiders has triggered widespread controversy after unlocked Workshop Stations disappeared, despite earlier information suggesting they would be retained. Many players entered the reset expecting continued access to these core crafting features, only to find themselves rebuilding from scratch, which led to frustration and accusations of poor communication.
Before the reset, official Expedition details clearly listed “unlocked workshop stations” among the elements players would keep. This included essential facilities such as the Refinery, Explosive Workbench, and Medical Station, which are central to crafting ammunition, healing items, and equipment. Most players understood this wording to mean that while station levels would reset to one, the stations themselves would remain available after the Expedition ARC Raiders gear safe for sale.
That expectation changed quietly. Around a week before the December 22, 2025 reset, with the Expedition window opening on December 17, the official details page was edited. The line mentioning “unlocked workshop stations” was removed from the list of retained progress without patch notes or public explanation. When the reset went live, Workshop Stations were completely gone and had to be rebuilt from level one, confirming the fears of players who noticed the change too late.
No formal developer explanation has been released, but community discussions suggest the removal was meant to clarify design intent and preserve balance. Originally, Workshop Stations were unlocked through progression requirements such as matches played or quests completed. In this context, “unlocked” likely meant players had permission to craft the stations, not that pre-built stations would persist across resets. The revised approach ensures that everyone starts fresh while still allowing immediate access to stations without early-game restrictions.
There are some practical upsides. Recrafting stations allows players to change their workshop layout, and stations are now available from the start without additional unlock conditions. However, the silent update caused many players to miss the clarification entirely. Content creators and veteran players noted that the lack of visible communication made the change feel like a hidden nerf rather than a clarification.
The reaction across Reddit and community forums was intense. One highly upvoted thread questioned why unlocked Workshop Stations were removed, with players sharing side-by-side screenshots showing the original and updated Expedition descriptions. Many described the situation as a bait-and-switch, arguing that planning and progression decisions were made based on the earlier wording.
Others defended the reset, pointing out that workshops were always intended to be rebuilt and that developer streams and data-mined information consistently showed that most progression systems would wipe. According to those sources, items like player levels, stash upgrades, blueprints, currencies, quests, and the Raider Den all reset, while cosmetics, premium currency, maps, codex entries, tokens, leaderboards, trials progress, and bonus slots from previous Expeditions remain. Still, the resource cost of rebuilding, especially materials like Rusted Gears, made the change feel more painful than expected.
Looking ahead, in-game timers suggest the next Expedition window will run from late February to early March 2026. While rebuilding Workshop Stations is relatively fast for experienced players, the damage to trust is harder to repair. The absence of timely patch notes or holiday updates addressing the issue amplified player dissatisfaction and left many hoping for clearer communication in future updates, especially with Expedition 2 expected to be discussed in 2026.
Ultimately, the reset maintains economic balance within ARC Raiders’ optional wipe system, but it also highlights the importance of transparent and proactive communication. For future Expeditions, players are now treating resets as full fresh starts and focusing on long-term rewards like cosmetics and tokens. The situation serves as a reminder that in live-service games, how changes are communicated can matter just as much as the changes themselves.
