I dropped back into ARC Raiders this week and it didn't feel like the same game. The Shared Watch Event (live until Feb 24, 2026) nudges everyone toward the machines first, and you notice it fast. People still peek corners and keep fingers on triggers, but there's a new rhythm to each run. If you're trying to prep properly, I've been keeping an eye on ARC Raiders Items between drops, because the event rewards steady output more than flashy plays.

Merits Change Who You Fight For

The Merit system is the real twist. You don't have to "win" a fight to profit from it, which sounds simple but changes behaviour. Tag an ARC unit, keep pressure on it, stay alive, and you're getting paid. I've had these moments where two squads are dumping mags into the same heavy, nobody talking, nobody trusting, yet nobody shooting either. It's like a handshake you can break at any second. The best part is you can play useful without being cracked at PvP; chip damage and smart positioning suddenly matter more than being the last one standing.

PvP Still Bites, Just Not Every Second

Don't mistake the vibe for peace. If you look loaded, someone will still try it, especially near exits or tight loot routes. But the calculus is different now. A lot of players hesitate because picking a fight can wreck a run that's already printing Merits. That tension is kind of the point: you're farming AI, hearing footsteps behind you, and deciding whether to turn or pretend you didn't. The Slugger Set is a nice carrot too; it's goofy in a good way, and it gives people a reason to keep grinding instead of just chasing kills for ego.

Cold Snap Forces Bad Decisions

Cold Snap coming back makes the map feel smaller. You can't sit in a bush and wait out the lobby; the cold pushes you indoors, and buildings become accidental meeting rooms. More than once I've sprinted into a warehouse to stop freezing and found another team doing the same thing, all of us shuffling for space like, "You shoot first or should I?" Build-wise, it's not the time for fragile loadouts. Bring endurance, bring ammo efficiency, and bring something you can control when your hands are shaking and the fight drags on.

What To Do Before The Next Expedition

The event feels like a runway into Expedition 2 on Feb 25, especially with the Skill Point catch-up system coming in for anyone who missed the first cycle. Right now I'd focus on three things in order: keep your Merits flowing, upgrade blueprints that actually see use, and raise stash value without getting greedy on every extraction. If you're short on kit, it's worth planning ahead with cheap ARC Raiders gear so you can keep dropping in without turning every run into a bankruptcy gamble.