The Window: September 8–29
The Expedition window opens on September 8 at 1 PM CEST / 11 AM UTC / 4 AM PT and closes on September 29 at 10 AM CEST / 8 AM UTC / 1 AM PT. That's a three-week window — one week longer than previous Expeditions.
What's New in Expedition 5
Key Changes
- Opt-in quest reset — you can now keep your quest progress instead of resetting after departure. The Hullcracker Blueprint will be available through other means.
- Extended window — three weeks instead of two
- No Last Call — sign up during the window or miss out
The opt-in quest reset is the big one. Previously, every Expedition wiped your quest line, forcing you to replay content you'd already cleared. Enough players pushed back on this that Embark is now making it your choice — keep your progress and continue from where you left off, or reset if you want the full experience again.
The quest reset change is long overdue and it's great to see Embark listen here. Replaying the same quest chain five Expeditions in a row was the single biggest reason players gave for skipping Expeditions altogether. Making it opt-in keeps it available for anyone who wants the fresh start while removing the penalty for veterans who'd rather push forward. Simple, good change.
How to Do the Expedition
- Complete the Caravan — contribution starts as soon as you finish the previous Expedition (or immediately if this is your first)
- Wait for the window — opens September 8
- Sign up — you must explicitly sign up once the window opens
- Complete the challenge — finish the challenge within the window to get rewards
- Catch up — missed Skill Points from previous Expeditions (max 5 per Expedition) can be caught up starting from your second Expedition
- Depart — everyone who signed up departs September 29
Rewards
Expedition 5 Rewards
- Complete Zenith Outfit (final piece)
- Mystery Rewards
- +12 stash space (maxes at 60)
- Skill Points (cap: 15 total across all Expeditions)
Consecutive Buffs (max 3 levels)
- XP boost
- Scrappy materials boost
- Repair value increase
If you've completed all five Expeditions, the Zenith Outfit will be fully unlocked. The Skill Point bonus caps at 15 total, and catch-up becomes available starting from your second Expedition — tied to stash value. Once you hit 15, catch-up disappears.
Expeditions Are Pausing Until 2027
This is the headline: Expedition 5 is the last one until early 2027. Embark is pausing the system to rework some of its biggest pain points — tight departure windows, the reward structure, and accessibility for new players.
"We have been carefully reviewing your feedback on Expeditions, and while we've made ongoing improvements along the way, we've come to realize that some of the issues you've raised need more than incremental fixes. They call for bigger changes."
During the pause:
- Consecutive buffs persist — no progress is lost
- Partially completed Caravans will be replaced with Ermal Vouchers of equal value (usable at the Trader or sellable for Coin)
- More details on the rework coming in September
I'm genuinely glad they're pausing rather than running it into the ground. Expeditions have been a divisive feature since day one — the concept is sound (periodic wipes with meaningful rewards), but the execution kept punishing the wrong players: the tight windows locked out anyone with a busy schedule, the forced quest reset was tedious, and new players felt so far behind on rewards that they didn't bother engaging at all.
The timing makes perfect sense too. Frozen Trail lands October 8 with the Outpost and new progression systems — running a full Expedition reset two weeks before that would be chaotic. Pausing Expeditions now gives players a clean slate going into the biggest update since launch, and lets Embark redesign the system with the new progression in mind. When Expeditions return in 2027, they can be built around the Outpost rather than fighting against it.
If you've been putting off Expeditions, this is genuinely your last chance for a while. Three weeks, opt-in quest reset, and the final Zenith piece — it doesn't get more accessible than this.
Trials Season Pause
The current Trials season ends September 22, after which Trials will be on pause for two weeks until October 8 — aligning directly with the Frozen Trail release date. Expect a fresh Trials season to launch alongside the new update.
A two-week Trials pause going into Frozen Trail makes sense — it avoids a situation where you're mid-season when the big update drops and everything shifts. More importantly, it tells us that Frozen Trail will bring a new Trials season on day one, likely with challenges tuned to the new map and ARC enemies. Good planning by Embark.