ARC Raiders August 2026 Guide: Trials, Phantom Targets, Best Farming Spots, Anti-Cheat & What's Next

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ARC Raiders is entering another important stretch, with the August 24–30 Trials run, Phantom Targets event, new store rotation, and Gamescom taking the spotlight. For players who want to maximize rewards without wasting time, this guide breaks down the best Trial locations, useful farming strategies, current event priorities, account-security changes, and what the upcoming pause to Expeditions could mean for the game. If you are also looking to optimize your inventory and gear, ARC Raiders Items can help support your progression.

ARC Raiders Trials: What Should You Prioritize?

The current Trials run lasts from August 24 through August 30, giving players a limited window to complete several objectives. If you want to climb the leaderboard efficiently, choosing the right location matters more than simply playing more matches.

One of the easiest objectives is opening Spaceport containers within the walls. This is relatively straightforward, but PvE lobbies are recommended if your goal is completing Trials safely rather than fighting other Raiders.

The current objectives also include destroying Ticks, damaging ARC enemies with Light Impact Grenades, damaging Wasps, and searching Husks.

Best Location for Destroying Ticks

For the destroy Ticks objective, Stella Montis is one of the strongest options mentioned in the current community strategy. The area provides reliable opportunities to encounter the enemies required for the Trial.

Riven Tide's Hotel can also be useful depending on your route and lobby conditions, but Stella Montis should be the first location to consider if you want to complete the objective efficiently.

Don't waste time wandering around the map hoping to find random Tick spawns. Build your route around areas where ARC activity is concentrated.

How to Farm Light Impact Grenade Damage

The Light Impact Grenade objective can be completed by targeting ARC enemies from a safe elevated position.

One recommended approach is using the Riven Tide Hotel to look toward a Bastion and repeatedly throw Light Impact Grenades. This gives you a useful angle for dealing damage while reducing the risk of getting overwhelmed.

The important part is not simply throwing grenades whenever you see an ARC enemy. Positioning is what makes this Trial efficient. Find a high position, maintain distance, and focus your attacks on suitable ARC targets.

Best Way to Search Husks

The search two Husks objective can be particularly easy if you know where to look.

The swamp area in Dam Battlegrounds is a strong location because Husks appear there more frequently. An electromagnetic storm can make this objective even more efficient, giving you a better opportunity to locate the required targets.

If you don't get the right weather condition immediately, you can still search across the map, but the swamp should remain one of your first choices.

Don't Ignore Wasps

Wasps continue to appear frequently enough that the related Trial should not require an elaborate strategy. If you're already completing other objectives, keep an eye out for them instead of creating an entirely separate farming route.

This is especially useful because efficient Trial progression comes from combining objectives whenever possible. Avoid treating every Trial as an isolated mission. If your route lets you damage Wasps while completing another objective, take advantage of it.

Phantom Targets Event: Finish Before September 6

The Phantom Targets event remains live until September 6, giving players a limited amount of time to finish the research-related objectives and earn the Anomalya Outfit.

The event centers on Shani's investigation into unusual ARC behavior. For players who have not completed it yet, this should be one of the highest priorities before the deadline.

Don't leave limited-time rewards until the final days. Finish the event while you're already running maps for Trials, especially if your objectives overlap with normal exploration.

Current Store Rotation: Is the New Roma Set Worth It?

The latest store rotation introduces the Roma set, a heavily weathered outfit built around reclaimed technology and worn materials. Its design includes damaged metal, fur, and several customizable components.

Players can remove or change parts such as the armor plate, balaclava, fur, goggles, helmet, and front mask. This makes the set more flexible than a single fixed appearance because you can combine different elements to create your preferred Raider look.

The Roma set also comes with three color variants. The current rotation includes additional cosmetic items and Raider Token options, but players should consider their token budget carefully before purchasing purely cosmetic rewards.

Account Security Is Now More Important

One of the most important non-gameplay announcements concerns anti-cheat and linked accounts.

The developers are increasing their focus on linked accounts. If someone accesses your account and cheats-even if you were not the person cheating—the account can still receive a ban.

That makes account security essential.

Use a strong, unique password, enable two-factor authentication, and never share your login credentials. Whether you play through Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Epic, or another supported platform, protecting your account also protects your progress.

For players who have invested hundreds of hours into ARC Raiders, this is one of the easiest precautions to take.

Gamescom Could Bring More ARC Raiders News

ARC Raiders is also appearing at Gamescom from August 26–30. The current information points toward a community-facing presence with merchandise and opportunities for players to interact with the team.

Players should not automatically expect a major announcement during the event, but Gamescom could provide an opportunity to ask developers questions and potentially learn more about the game's future.

That matters because the community is already discussing the direction of Trials and Expeditions.

What Happens to Expeditions and Trials?

Perhaps the biggest long-term discussion is the decision to pause Expeditions until 2027, while Trials will also be unavailable for a period after the current run.

For some players, this is good news. Players who have already completed Expeditions can finally step away from the constant progression pressure, experiment with other games, or simply enjoy ARC Raiders without worrying about another reset-related grind.

For others, the change creates a problem: Expeditions and progression resets are major reasons to keep playing. Without them, some players may eventually feel that there is less to accomplish, especially if they buy ARC Raiders Items to speed up their progression.

This makes the coming period particularly important for ARC Raiders.

Final ARC Raiders Tips for August 2026

If you want to make the most of the current content, follow this priority order:

1. Complete the August 24–30 Trials before the deadline.

2. Use Stella Montis for efficient Tick farming.

3. Try the Riven Tide Hotel for Light Impact Grenade damage against ARC enemies.

4. Search the Dam Battlegrounds swamp for Husks, especially during an electromagnetic storm.

5. Finish Phantom Targets before September 6 to secure the Anomalya Outfit.

6. Combine multiple Trial objectives during the same raid whenever possible.

7. Secure your linked accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication.

8. Use the current period to stock up, experiment with builds, and prepare for the upcoming content gap.

The biggest mistake right now is wasting the limited-time opportunities. Trials have a hard deadline, Phantom Targets eventually disappear, and the future content schedule is changing. Complete the rewards that matter first, optimize your farming routes second, and use the quieter period ahead to prepare for whatever ARC Raiders brings next.