Embark Studios has published some major changes coming to the way Trials work in ARC Raiders, the popular extraction shooter that was released in October 2025. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, Trials are weekly challenges that users complete in-game to climb the ranks and unlock exclusive, rotating rewards.
However, in the months since the game hit the market, the Trials ecosystem has come under scrutiny from some players who feel it’s stagnating, over-complicated, or locking out certain playstyles. In a new blog post, the team at Embark Studios revealed big changes are coming.
Riven Tides Changes Trials For The Better
When Riven Tides lands on April 28th, it’ll bring with it the largest ARC Raiders update since the game came out. This means an all-new map, a large-scale ARC enemy, new quests, a Raider Deck, and much more. It also means tweaks and quality-of-life improvements, such as this new amendment to how Trials work.
From April 29, one day after Riven Tides lands, players will be able to start tackling Season 4 of Trials. This is a switch-up from the previous process, which saw Trials go on a hiatus during the Expedition window, the event that allows players to reset their profile and start from scratch.
The changes, which have been made to ‘give all Raiders a fair chance ot get stuck in and grind’, go far beyond that.
Firstly, major map conditions no longer award double points. This means you’re free to tackle Trials wherever you see fit.
Also, there will be no Trials linked to specific map conditions, like Electromagnetic Storm or Uncovered Caches. Again, this means that you’ll find Trials more accessible, as you won’t need to play on maps with conditions that make things more challenging.
Further, the variation of Trials is set to improve going into Season 4. Embark confirmed:
Without revealing our hand early, expect to see some exciting new objectives throughout the upcoming season, like melee combat challenges, using specific gadgets/grenades to score points, and searching… unique containers.
More amendments will be made to the Trials system based on community feedback, so things will evolve further.
Finally, the team unveiled the outfit that will serve as the reward path for Trials in Season 4 of ARC Raiders. It’s the Recon outfit, and it boasts some water-based components that fit right in with Riven Tides. To get the base outfit, you’ll need to secure the rank of Tryhard I during the season, working up the ladder to claim subsequent parts.
If you can hit Hotshot and Cantina Legend, you’ll get exclusive colorways of the Recon outfit.
Do you like the sound of these ARC Raiders changes? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Game Pass has a new Starter Edition tier
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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