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Phantom Targets is already playable right now, and you do not need to wait for 18 August to make progress on it. The short version: Part 1 went live with a store update on 4 August, Part 2 and the full event land with update 1.42 on 18 August, and anyone who starts today shows up to the event beat with gear and progress already banked.
Phantom Targets is a Player Project, the same recurring system that previously ran Avian Alarm and Converging Paths: it works like the previous Avian Alarm and Converging Paths Projects, where you complete the active stage, claim its rewards, and then move to the next objective. The framing story has Speranza’s operator Shani picking up unexplained readings, and Shani has detected unexplained targets across Speranza’s surveillance network and needs Raiders to improve Cargo Elevator antennas before testing unusual ARC parts and destruction methods in combat. The whole project runs across six stages, and starting today, Raiders can begin Part 1 of the six-stage ‘Phantom Targets’ Project.
The distinction matters because Phantom Targets is split into two parts, with Part 1 containing three stages available now, while Part 2 unlocks with Update 1.42 on August 18, 2026. And there is a hard endpoint too: the complete Project ends on September 6, 2026, leaving a limited window to finish both parts and claim every reward.
TL;DR
- Part 1 of Phantom Targets is live now and does not require waiting for 18 August
- Part 2 plus the full event unlock with update 1.42 on 18 August
- The opening stage needs no crafting materials, just three cargo elevator visits
- Prep time now is better spent on blueprints, bench tiers and account XP than sitting idle
- Playing ARC Raiders for three hours before the cross-game window closes also unlocks a THE FINALS outfit
| Part | Stages covered | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Stages 1-3: antenna repair, then ARC part combat tests | Live now, since 4 August |
| Part 2 | Stages 4-6 plus the full Phantom Targets event | Unlocks with update 1.42 on 18 August |
Phased Rollout Explained: What's Available Now vs What Arrives on 18 August
Embark has been shipping this project in two clean halves instead of dropping it all at once, and that staged structure is the entire point of starting early. The useful confirmed gameplay change is that Phantom Targets has started in staged form, so players can begin the new Project now instead of waiting for the August 18 event beat. A normal seasonal event usually opens fully on day one; this one deliberately front-loads the low-effort, no-grind objectives and holds the combat-heavy and reward-heavy back half for the patch that also brings the full event mode.
Warning
Reward tables for the second half of the project were not fully public at the time of writing. Full reward tables and the exact item requirements for the later stage are TBC until that patch goes live, so don’t overcommit scarce materials assuming a specific stage 4-6 requirement — that list can still shift before 18 August.
| What you can do | Available now | Arrives 18 August | What to do while waiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: antenna repair | Yes | — | Finish it in one raid, it takes minutes |
| Stages 2-3: ARC part combat tests | Yes | — | Bring Pop Triggers, Wasp Drivers and elemental/launcher weapons |
| Stages 4-6 | No, locked | Yes, with update 1.42 | Build materials, blueprints and bench tiers instead of grinding blind |
| Full Phantom Targets event mode | No | Yes, 18 August through early September | Watch official patch notes for the exact task list |
| Tick Hunter cosmetic set | Wishlist only | Yes, purchasable | Decide if the bundle is worth it once contents are final |
Step-by-Step: How to Start Phantom Targets Right Now
Follow this sequence to get it done fast.
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1
Open the Raider menu in Speranza
this is where every active Player Project lives, not the raid loadout screen.
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2
Select the Projects tab
Phantom Targets sits alongside any other running projects.
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3
Open Phantom Targets and read the active stage
right now that means the antenna repair objective.
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4
Head Topside and complete the objective during a raid
for stage 1, upgrade three antennas positioned on top of Cargo Elevators, with eligible Cargo Elevators appearing on Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides.
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5
Return to the Project screen after extracting
the game tracks completion once you're back in Speranza, not mid-raid.
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6
Claim the stage reward to unlock the next stage
repeat for stages 2 and 3 while Part 1 is active.
How to Prepare Before 18 August: Materials, Benches and Blueprints
Because Part 2’s exact requirements aren’t locked yet, the smartest prep isn’t stockpiling a guess — it’s making sure your account isn’t gated when the real list drops. The Player Project system historically leans on crafting stations and blueprint tiers for its later stages, and getting your workbenches and blueprint access sorted now means you’re not scrambling on 18 August while everyone else is starting from zero. If you haven’t looked at which blueprints actually gate your top-tier bench upgrades, the blueprint and bench progression guide covers exactly what to prioritize before a project’s second half lands.
Account level and XP also quietly matter here, since some reward tiers and unlocked slots scale with account progression rather than the project itself. If you’re not sure where your XP is actually coming from raid to raid, the leveling and XP guide breaks down which activities move the needle fastest, which is the kind of head start that compounds nicely before a content-heavy patch.
| Map | Cargo Elevators for stage 1 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dam Battlegrounds | Multiple in one raid | The fastest method is to stay in a single Dam Battleground raid and visit three different extraction points, often clearing the whole stage in one run |
| Spaceport | Available | Works, but extraction points are more spread out than Dam |
| Riven Tides | Available | Viable alternative if Dam is contested by other squads |
Cross-Game Bonus: Turn ARC Raiders Playtime Into an Outfit in THE FINALS
Separate from the project entirely, Embark is running a summer crossover between its two live games, and it’s easy to miss because it isn’t tied to Phantom Targets at all. Through August 20, players who log 3 hours in ARC Raiders will earn the Azimuth Bundle in THE FINALS. That’s a flat playtime requirement, not a challenge list, so any three hours spent doing your normal raids or working through Phantom Targets stages 1-3 counts toward it.
The window is short and tied to a specific date, so it’s worth checking your in-game playtime now rather than assuming you’ll circle back later. Full crossover terms are listed on the official ARC Raiders update page.
Confirmed Phantom Targets Rewards So Far
Rewards for the stages that are already playable are public. What comes with stages 4-6 on 18 August is not fully confirmed, and this article won’t guess at a list that Embark hasn’t published.
Outside the project itself, Embark also confirmed a paid cosmetic drop for the same date: arriving on August 18, the Tick Hunter Set retails at $20 and contains the Tick Hunter Outfit in 4 color variants, as well as a backpack, backpack charm, face tattoo and 2,400 Raider Tokens. That bundle is cosmetic only and separate from Phantom Targets progress.
| Stage | Reward | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 (antenna repair) | Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive), Heavy Shield, Vita Spray | Confirmed, claimable now |
| Stages 2-3 (ARC part tests) | Tied to dealing damage to ARC enemies using Pop Triggers, Wasp Drivers, and Leaper Pulse Unit, plus destroying enemies with fire, energy, and launcher damage | Confirmed, claimable now |
| Stage 4 preview | 50x Raider Tokens, 1x Powered Descender, 1x Horizontal Grip, 1x Snap Hook | Visible but locked until 18 August |
| Stages 5-6 | Not published | TBC, arrives with update 1.42 |
Common Misconceptions About Phantom Targets
“You need crafting materials to repair the antennas”
You don’t. Unlike many expected, no crafting materials or repair components are needed — you simply interact with each antenna to complete the repair. If you’re stockpiling parts specifically for stage 1, that effort is wasted; save the materials for the bench and blueprint tiers instead.
“Phantom Targets is the same event as the Harvester”
These are two unrelated systems that happen to overlap in the same patch window. Phantom Targets is a Player Project built around antenna repair and ARC combat tests, while the Harvester is a separate event with its own puzzle and blueprint chain — if you’re chasing that one specifically, the Harvester event guide covers it on its own terms.
“There’s nothing to do until 18 August”
This is the exact misconception the staged rollout is designed to correct. Three of six stages are playable today, and finishing them now means less to do once the full event and Part 2 land — waiting purely for the date to arrive just means less progress on 18 August, not more.
Our Take: Is Starting Phantom Targets Early Worth It?
Our Take
Starting now costs almost nothing and the payoff is real.
Stage 1 takes one raid, stages 2-3 fold into fights you’re already having, and none of it requires materials you’d otherwise be saving. The only honest caveat is that Embark hasn’t published what stages 4-6 actually demand, so treat any “farm X now for Part 2” claim you see elsewhere as a guess until update 1.42 lands. The safer bet is general readiness — blueprints, bench tiers, account XP — over chasing a specific reward list that doesn’t exist yet.