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Escape from Tarkov offers a deep and immersive experience, but its complexity can be overwhelming, especially with the vast number of actions available. In this guide, we’ll explore how to set up your keybinds effectively, providing tips and recommendations to make every movement and action smoother, faster, and more intuitive. One of the aspects of Escape from Tarkov  that defines it as an impressive mil-sim is the number of operations players can make their characters perform. Starting with movement controls, players can perform actions like Smooth Lean or Sidestep, Vaulting, control movement speed using the mouse wheel, or even adjust the crouch height gradually using the combination of the C key + mouse wheel . Then there are all the actions that can be performed with the weapon you’re holding, such as switching fire mode, inspecting the chamber, emptying the chamber, fixing malfunctions, removing the magazine, etc. With so many operations, there is naturally a significant number of keybinds . In my opinion a lot of them work just fine as they are set by default. You just need to learn them and get used to them. However, there are quite a few that are worth changing to make them more easily reachable with your fingers on the keyboard (or mouse) and functional. Let’s start with some tips on setting up keybinds and potential combinations , followed by my personal keybind settings , which I consider important (some even essential) and why. Tips and Tricks First, it’s important to know that in EFT, you can create key combinations using up to three keys. Thanks to this, you can use SHIFT , CTRL , or ALT  as modifiers. EFT already does this by default in some cases. For instance, if B  is the key to switch fire mode, ALT+B  is the combination to check the currently selected fire mode. Another important thing to know is that in the keybind settings, you can choose how each action is triggered: on press , on release , on double-click , or on hold  (Continuous). This can be configured in the rightmost column of the keybinds settings. It is an extremely useful feature , especially with such a large number of actions to assign, because it allows you to assign multiple actions to the same key. However, if you assign two actions to the same key, for example, one on Release and another on Double click , the action on release will be slightly delayed because the game will wait to determine whether it’s a single or double-click. The delay is minimal but can make a difference in certain situations. The same goes for actions set to hold (Continuous). On the other hand, if you assign two actions to the same key using the Press and Release functions, there’s no delay. Keybinds Here are my settings, starting with the most important ones. Hold your breath Holding your breath is vital to stabilize aim when in ADS. There is a keybind setup that allows you to "automatically" hold your breath when you ADS. To do this you need to bound "Hold breath" to the right mouse button on Release . The right mouse button is also bound to "Aim", but on Press . So when I press the right mouse button my character Aims and when I release the button it holds breath. All is done with just one click of the same button. Remember to also bind "Hold breath" to another key, because if you move while in ADS, you'll need to activate the "Hold breath" again. I bound it to LEFT ALT because it's one of the most easily reachable keys for me. For those who don't use aim toggle but need to set it to "Continuous" so that when they release the mouse button they stop ADSing, this trick can still be done but it's a lot more complicated and the use of macros is needed. Here is a video by NoGenerals that explains how to do it . Lean Right and Lean Left As in most FPS games these two actions are set by default to Q  and E , but given the importance of moving fluidly and quickly, these keys are not the best choice. Why? Because with these default settings, you cannot move using WASD keys  while pressing Q  or E . Try it—it’s practically impossible and definitely not practical. To solve this issue, many solutions have been tried, but the one I find the simplest and most practical is to assign Lean Right  and Lean Left  to two mouse buttons. Not the main ones, of course, but if you use a Logitech G502 like me, for example, the side buttons ( Mouse3  and Mouse4 ) are great choices. It might take some time to get used to, but the benefits are huge. If you don’t own a mouse with enough keys I strongly suggest getting one. A G502 is pretty cheap these days. For a deeper analysis and a more authoritative voice, I recommend this video from a streamer who has made rapid movement and total control of his character an art: NoGenerals . The video should start at the relevant point, but if not, the key section begins at 11:26 - Teaching JesseKazam How I Peek in Tarkov - PVP Tips - Escape From Tarkov Inspect Current Weapon and Check Chamber/Fix Malfunction When a weapon malfunction occurs, you must first inspect the weapon (to identify the issue) and then fix the malfunction. By default, these two actions are bound to separate keys. But there’s a much faster and more efficient way: binding both actions to the same key, one on press  and the other on release . Specifically, I have Fix Malfunction  bound to pressing ALT+Mouse4  and Inspect  to releasing ALT+Mouse4 . When I encounter a malfunction, I press and release ALT+Mouse4 . EFT first reads the press action, but since the inspection hasn’t been performed yet, it does nothing. The system then reads the release action and performs the inspection. At this point, I press the same key again, and the cycle repeats. This time, the game performs the fix since the inspection has already been done and Fix Malfunction is on Press, so it's the first action it reads and tries to do. Emergency Weapon Reload By default, this is set to a double-click of the R  key. This action allows you to reload your weapon faster than a normal reload but at the cost of dropping the current magazine. However, there’s another downside. Since the emergency reload is set to double-click  and the normal reload to release , there will be a short delay while the game waits to determine whether you’re performing a single or double-click. In combat, even a slight delay can mean the difference between life and death. There are two possible solutions: A  - Assign the emergency reload to a different key or combination (it needs to be convenient since it’s an emergency reload). B  - Completely unbind the emergency reload to avoid accidentally using it and dropping your magazine, and to eliminate the double-click delay. I chose this option. Drop Backpack As noted in the EFT Tutorial you can find here on TTC , this is a crucial action for improving movement in combat and performing tasks that may be hindered by your weight and need to be executed quickly during or just before a fight. For this reason, I’ve bound it to ALT+Z , as I find it easier to press than the default setting. Discard Discarding items from your backpack is a frequent operation, especially when looting during a raid in situations where speed is critical. By default, it’s bound to the DELETE key on your keyboard. However, the key’s distance from the WASD keys forces you to move either your left or right hand, which is far from ideal since threats can arise at any moment. Many players prefer to rebind it to a more accessible key, such as the U key , which is what I initially did. However, I still find it somewhat inconvenient and am currently using the SHIFT+X combination for even better accessibility. Quick Slots (Slots 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0) Quick slots are incredibly useful for having medical items ready for immediate use during raids or activating other items like compasses or flares. The problem is that reaching keys beyond 6 on the keyboard can be awkward. However, using the press  and release  system, you can assign two slots to the same key. For instance, I bind key 4  to Slot 4 on press  and Slot 7 on release . Similarly, key 4 is bound to Slot 4 on press  and Slot 8 on release . This allows me to place my most essential healing items bound to accessible keys. Example: I keep a CALOK-B  in Slot 4 for heavy bleeding and a medkit in Slot 7 for healing. If I have heavy bleeding, pressing 4  the first time activates the CALOK-B. Once the bleeding is stopped, pressing 4  again will activate the medkit. If I need to heal but don’t have any heavy bleeding at that moment, the medkit will be used on the first press of the 4 key. Switch Between Sights and Change Scope Magnification With Q  and E  freed by reassigning the lean actions, I set E  to Switch Between Sights  and Q  to Change Scope Magnification , as these are frequently used actions that require quick access. Prone This is a very personal solution to a problem I encountered, but it might be a useful suggestion for you if you’ve faced the same issue. Several times, when startled by the sudden appearance of an unexpected threat, I flinched and accidentally pressed the default X keybind. This caused me to go prone, leaving me unable to move or maintain aim, often leading to a disadvantage. To address this, I rebound the prone action to require a Double click of the X key . This adjustment eliminated the flinch problem while still allowing me to go prone quickly when necessary. Scope Zoom In and Scope Zoom Out After the introduction of this new feature, which allows for gradual zoom adjustment on certain scopes, I assigned Zoom In and Zoom Out to the combination SHIFT + Mouse Scroll . Specifically: SHIFT + Mouse Scroll Up  for Zoom In SHIFT + Mouse Scroll Down  for Zoom Out If I remember correctly, by default they are set to ALT+Mouse Scroll , but I had to change it because using ALT  prevented me from moving while adjusting the zoom, as ALT + W, A, S, D  are bound to other actions. With my setup, I can at least move laterally while zooming since SHIFT + A  and SHIFT + D  are not bound to anything. Vaulting By default, the "Vaulting over medium obstacles" setting is set to "Auto" in the GAME section of the options. This is known to cause a drop in performance , as the game continuously calculates where your character might need to vault. It’s highly recommended to change this setting to "Hotkey" and bind the Vaulting action to an easily accessible key. I am currently using the default setting SPACEBAR with a Continuous press, while jumping is set to SPACEBAR on Release. This way, if there is an obstacle, by holding down the spacebar I vault it, but if I just tap the spacebar I will jump it. But I’m still considering whether this is the optimal choice because sometimes it happens to jump instead of vaulting. This may generate unwanted noise that can get me detected by enemies. Shoulder Transition: Switching the shoulder you hold your weapon on is crucial during firefights and must be easy to access. I assigned this to T . Toggle Tactical Devices: Toggling tactical devices like lasers or flashlights is vital, so I assigned it to the thumb button on my mouse . Switch Tactical Device Mode Since I assigned Toggle Tactical Devices  to the mouse thumb button, I set this command to the combination ALT + mouse thumb button . Check Time / Check Time and Exits I found the default setting inconvenient and considered the Check Time  command redundant alongside Check Time and Exits . Therefore, I unbound Check Time  and left only the O  key to activate on Press the Check Time and Exits  action. Sidearm + Sidearm Quick Swap Some time ago, BSG added the Sidearm Quick Swap  feature, which allows you to draw your pistol more quickly. This action is crucial and can change the outcome of a fight when you run out of ammo in your primary weapon. However, it consumes arm stamina, and if your stamina is depleted, this action cannot be performed. For this reason, I assigned the 1 key  on Press  to Sidearm Quick Swap  and on Release  to the standard sidearm draw, which doesn’t require arm stamina. This way, if I have no stamina and the Quick Swap cannot be executed, the standard sidearm draw function will activate instead. Melee Weapon Since the introduction of mountable bipods, the V  key has been reassigned to actions related to this new feature. For this reason, I moved Melee Weapon  to the key to the left of 1  at the top-left of the keyboard, just below the ESC  key for clarity. Melee Attack I kept it bound to the Double Click of the V key  because it’s easy to reach and press. That’s it! I know it’s a lot of information, but I believe having the right keybinds is essential for performing EFT’s numerous actions quickly and effectively. I hope this guide helps. If you have suggestions for better keybind setups, share them in the comments!

While the EFT community is waiting for the promised "early August" wipe, something unexpected happened, leaving everyone speechless. What's really going on is unknown, but the speculations are many. In a surprising and chaotic turn of events, Battlestate Games (BSG) made headlines when they accidentally wiped a significant number of player accounts in Escape From Tarkov . The incident unfolded when a developer, while testing a new feature for a future update, mistakenly deleted data from the game's servers. This led to many players logging out of raids only to discover that their accounts had been wiped clean. The initial reaction from the community was shock and disbelief, with many assuming it was an early surprise wipe, a well-known feature in the game's lifecycle. The wipe was an accident caused by human error, not a bug or a system failure. BSG quickly responded to the situation, clarifying that the wipe was an accident caused by human error, not a bug or a system failure. They assured players that they had backups of the data, but restoring the affected accounts would take some time. In the interim, BSG has promised compensation to those impacted by this error, though details on what form this compensation will take remain unclear. However, some community members are skeptical of BSG's explanation. Claims have surfaced suggesting that BSG may not be fully transparent about the nature of the mistake. According to these sources, this was not just a technical glitch but a significant oversight by a single developer. This has fueled fears that such an error could happen again, casting doubt on BSG's ability to manage their game infrastructure securely. Did someone just press the wrong button? The incident has sparked a wave of criticism and concern across the Tarkov community. Many players are questioning how a single mistake could lead to such widespread data loss and whether the game is at risk of similar issues in the future. The idea that one person could unintentionally wipe out player progress is unsettling, to say the least. Despite the severity of the situation, BSG has attempted to reassure players by stating that they are taking steps to ensure this mistake is not repeated. They have not specified what these steps will be, but the hope is that the company will improve its internal processes to prevent similar incidents. For now, the community waits with bated breath to see how BSG handles the restoration of lost data and whether they can rebuild the trust that has been shaken by this blunder. While the affected players will eventually get their accounts back, the incident has left a lasting impression, raising questions about the stability and reliability of the game's infrastructure. This situation serves as a reminder of the delicate nature of online gaming environments, where even a small error can have catastrophic consequences. As BSG works to rectify the situation, the community will undoubtedly be watching closely, eager to see how the company navigates this unexpected and troubling challenge.

A patch from BSG wouldn’t be the same without a fair share of hidden changes to catch players off guard! While Battlestate Games continues with its strange and inexplicable gaps in communication with players, we’ve checked some streamers videos to uncover BSG secrets. One of the most informative is undoubtedly Gigabeef, who in a recent video highlighted several important changes in the game that were not explicitly mentioned in the 0.15 patch notes (check the link to the full video at the end of the article): Weapon Fire Rate Adjustments: 9x39 Weapons: Notable adjustments were made to weapons using 9x39 ammo, including the VSS , AS VAL , and VSK . Their fire rates were reduced to 700 RPM , making them easier to control in full-auto and preventing ammo depletion too quickly, given that their magazines hold only 20 rounds . However, the recently added SR3M still maintains its higher RPM, giving it an edge in burst damage potential. Recoil Changes: There have been recoil changes on several weapons, but the most important are the 7.62 MDR and the AUG both saw increases in recoil. This tweak makes them align closer to other rifles in their class. Weapon Availability on the Flea Market: Some high-tier weapons, such as the Mutant , RD-704 , and RPD , have been reintroduced to the flea market. The same goes for most of the 7.62x51 marksman rifles such as the G28 , the RSASS , the SR-25 and the M1A . Others, like the VSS and SIG MCX SPEAR , have now been banned. Armor Availability on the Flea Market: The Death Shadow Mask and the CQCM are both been removed from the Flea Market, along with the SLAAP Plate and Bastion Plate , making this kind of end-game gear more rare and reducing the number of players using it. Ammo Availability Changes: The patch notes state that "all ammo with less than 42 penetration is now allowed on the Flea Market, with a few exceptions." One notable exception is the 7.62x51mm M80 ammo, which has a penetration power of 41 but is still banned from the Flea Market. Bipods: Though bipods were mentioned in the patch notes, Gigabeef discovered they provide an even greater recoil reduction than anticipated, with up to 80% recoil reduction when deployed. This makes them particularly powerful for high-recoil, long-range weapons like the M60. But it's important to note that they can be mounted on smaller rifles like the M4A1 or the SVD. Helmet and Headset Compatibility Changes: The SSH-68 helmet (commonly known as the "penis helmet") can no longer be worn with any headsets . This change impacts early-game players significantly, as it removes a cost-effective combination. Another notable change is that the Ushanka ear flap hat , which is required for the Setup quest, is now only compatible with the GSSh-01 active headset. Quest Modifications: Chemical Part 2 has undergone a change. The key needed to open the door to room 220 is now the 306 room key . This small adjustment wasn't listed in the notes, and it caught players off guard, leading to confusion for those pursuing the quest without reading the information given carefully enough. That’s all for now, but there could be more. If so, we’ll keep you updated right away! Don't forget to check Gigabeef's full video which contains even more useful info!

Which is the Best Headset with the New Wipe?  With the introduction of new headsets in Patch 0.15 of Escape From Tarkov , players now have more options than ever to enhance their auditory awareness and gain a tactical edge in raids. The great Gigabeef has once again provided a detailed breakdown of these headsets, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, proving to be, as always, an invaluable asset to the EFT community. Gigabeef has done it again! The table below is created from the data collected by Gigabeef and presented in his highly informative YouTube video. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend watching it because, as always, it’s packed with valuable insights and fascinating tests. You can find the link at the end of the article. I’ve added the last column with prices in thousands of Rubles to Gigabeef's data for your reference. All measurements have been done while underweight . Disclaimer: Flea Market prices are highly volatile and can change dramatically over time. The price evaluations in this article are based on flea market prices as of early September 2024. Now, let's analyze this data and make some observations. The Best High-Performance Headset: Comtac 6 The Comtac 6  is currently the best headset in the game, offering the highest noise reduction and sound amplification. This makes it ideal for detecting distant footsteps and subtle audio cues, providing a significant advantage in high-stakes environments. However, this headset comes with a steep price tag of 94k Roubles. Strong Alternatives: RAC and Comtac 5 For those looking for high performance at a lower cost, the RAC (46k) and Comtac 5 (68k) headsets are excellent choices. They offer slightly less sensitivity than the Comtac 6 but still provide the same noise reduction. The RAC , in particular, stands out because it is significantly cheaper than the Comtac 5. However, the RAC can only be used with certain helmets. Additionally, there are special versions of the Comtac 5 and Comtac 6  designed specifically for EXFIL helmets. These versions maintain the great stats of their standard counterparts but are much cheaper (around 30k Rubles), possibly because they are more common in loot pools or because fewer players currently have access to EXFIL helmets early in the wipe. Best Value for Money: Safariland Liberator If you’re looking for the best value for your money, the Safariland Liberator  is the top choice. It offers nearly identical stats to the Comtac 5, including effective noise reduction and sound amplification, but at a much lower price of 44k Roubles. This makes the Safariland Liberator the best option for players who want great performance without overspending. The XCEL headset is also fairly well-balanced in terms of performance, but it is currently priced nearly the same as the Safariland Liberator and offers slightly worse stats. Given this, the Safariland is the better choice. Overpriced Options: Comtac 4 and Sordin The Comtac 4  has decent stats but falls short in terms of ambient noise reduction compared to other top-tier headsets. At 78k Roubles, it is considerably overpriced, likely due to its reputation from the last wipe when it was considered the best headset available. However, the Safariland Liberator now offers much better noise reduction and is over 30k Roubles cheaper, making it a more attractive option. The Sordin headset is a favorite among some players, but it is one of the weakest in detecting slow walking sounds and has much poorer ambient noise reduction than other headsets in its price range. At 40k Roubles, there are better options available for those looking for both performance and affordability. Budget Options: Tac Sport, Razor, and M32 The Tac Sport  was once considered one of the best value options in the game. It is still a good choice for those looking to save some money, costing 33k Roubles. However, with the Safariland Liberator priced just 10k Roubles more and offering significantly better overall performance, players might want to consider investing a bit more for a substantial improvement. The Razor headset could be the new go-to for budget players, priced around 22k Roubles. It provides decent performance for the price, but its detection range for normal walking sounds is one of the lowest, which could be a disadvantage in certain situations. An alternative to the Razor for those looking to save even more is the M32 headset , which costs about 19k Roubles. It has similar performance across all metrics to the Razor but is even more affordable, making it a great choice for those on a tight budget. Avoid Unless Necessary: Comtac 2 and GSSH The Comtac 2  and GSSH  headsets are generally not recommended unless you have specific needs, such as compatibility issues (e.g., the GSSH  is the only headset that can be worn with the Ushanka hat in Patch 0.15) or are extremely low on funds. Their performance is subpar compared to other headsets, and there are much better options available for just a little more money. Don’t forget to check out Gigabeef’s video and give it a thumbs up. I also discovered another interesting video on this topic by SheefGG . While it’s less exhaustive, it showcases different tests in various conditions, and the results are quite interesting as well.

Nikita from Battlestate Games recently shared a teaser on Twitter, and though details are scarce, we can still make some educated guesses. I've watched NoiceGuy's video about it, so let’s break down what was discussed. Yesterday, popular Tarkov content creator NoiceGuy  shared his thoughts on a teaser posted by Nikita, the head of Battlestate Games. Although it was just a picture with no accompanying comment or details, NoiceGuy  dove into the details and offered his own insights on what this new content could be. Early Development: Still in the Gray-Box Stage T he image shared by Nikita shows the new location is still in the gray-box stage . This stage of development involves laying out the core structure and major features of a location before adding intricate details (such as textures). NoiceGuy thinks that while some aspects of the teaser, such as lighting and foliage, might appear polished, the presence of large, gray-boxed structures clearly indicates that it’s still an early version. In other words, he thinks we shouldn't expect this location to hit EFT anytime soon. Hints from the Environment: Coastal Naval Fortress? NoiceGuy  speculated that the teaser’s flat horizon could be a clue that this location is coastal. Based on the architectural style seen in the image, which resembles a fortress, he thinks it may be inspired by historical Russian coastal fortresses . He specifically points to the St. Petersburg area, which is the real-world inspiration for Tarkov’s fictional Norvinsk region. The visible structure and distinctive arched windows closely match naval fortresses in that area. What Could This Map Be? Battlestate Games has already confirmed that Terminal will be the next major map addition to Tarkov, but NoiceGuy is doubtful that this teaser is related to Terminal . By now, Terminal should be in the final stages of development, not in the gray-box phase. With that in mind, NoiceGuy suggests the teaser could be tied to Arena mode, which is currently under active development. Arena maps are typically smaller and faster-paced, and the compact, fortress-like structure shown in the teaser would be a fitting environment for such a mode. My Thoughts and what the community thinks: While NoiceGuy’s assumptions may be correct, there’s also the possibility that the gray-box structures were intentionally shown this way to obscure the location and make it harder to identify, rather than reflecting its actual development stage. Also, we don’t know much about Terminal , so it’s possible that this teaser is  connected to that map. In fact, since the location in the pic shared by Nikita seems to be near the sea, this further strengthens the theory that it could be the Terminal  map , as its setting is in a shipping terminal, where a naval fortress could be very well integrated. Personally, I find it unlikely that Nikita would be teasing a new Arena map at this point. It seems more likely that this is related to a future EFT location, or perhaps something tied to the game’s progress toward its final release. [I was wrong LOL, see update below] There’s also a strong sentiment (and hope) in the community that this could be an expansion or rework of the Lighthouse map , which many players have criticized for being poorly designed. Issues with PMC spawn locations being concentrated in the southern part of the map, while key areas like the Water Treatment Plant are located in the north, have made Lighthouse a frustrating experience for many. Whatever this teaser ultimately turns out to be, we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, let’s keep the discussion going and speculate on what’s to come. Don't forget to check NoiceGuy's full video ! 20/09 UPDATE: After the release of the new roadmap for late 2024 and additional information, it now seems more likely that the teaser is for a new Arena map. In my original reasoning, I hadn’t considered the approaching TwitchCon and the fact that BSG has been heavily promoting Arena, including an upcoming free wekend this weekend. 23/09 UPDATE: TwitchCon has passed, and we now have confirmation that the teaser was for a new Arena  map called Fort . It looks fantastic and seems to have great potential. I’m can't wait to play on it, but I’m holding off until the bug affecting Escape from Tarkov  traders’ reputations is resolved (see related article below).

When players get the Therapist's quest Supply Plans , they are faced with a tough decision: Skier offers a conflicting quest, Kind of Sabotage , asking you to betray her and deliver the secure folder to him instead. He promises a generous reward—but is it worth crossing Therapist? And what will the consequences be? Definitely "Skier" LOL The decision on which quest to complete— Supply Plans or Kind of Sabotage —primarily comes down to the rewards: Both quests grant +0.04 reputation points with their respective trader. Therapist provides 7,500 EXP , while Skier offers only 4,500 EXP . Skier gives 180,000 Rubles , far more than the 75,000 Rubles from Therapist. Therapist also gives a CMS Surgical Kit Importantly, you won't suffer any reputation loss with the trader you "betray" by choosing the other. So, the choice essentially depends on whether you prefer the extra cash from Skier or the higher EXP from Therapist. If you're aiming for more EXP , then Therapist is the better choice. If you're more focused on Rubles , then Skier offers a more lucrative reward. One extra factor to consider is that the CMS Surgical Kit from Therapist might come in handy for Jaeger's quest Ambulance , which requires you to turn in 2 CMS kits. The other CMS kit can be earned from Jaeger's own quest, The Survivalist Path - Tough Guy . Personally, I chose not to betray Therapist and completed Supply Plans because, early on in the wipe, it was more beneficial for me to gain extra EXP to reach level 15 and unlock the Flea Market as quickly as possible.

Skier's quest Chemical - Part 2 has been creating a bit of confusion in the community as it seems that the quest was (temporarily) changed and it required the key to room 306 instead. Some say it's true. Others say it's not. What's going on? There’s a strange legend (?) circulating in the EFT community. Apparently, the quest Chemical - Part 2  experienced some mysterious changes at the start of the wipe. A portion of players (myself included) completed the quest as usual, like in previous wipes, while others found themselves stuck because their key for Room 220 no longer unlocked the door. Some players noticed that the quest text had changed , stating: "So here's the key that you found there as well, and try to dig up further. My guys said it's from a dorm room. I got a tip that the fucker changed the lock. The lock seems to be some cheap shit, and the same kind of lock was seen on room 306. Chances are the key might fit." What did this mean? That the correct key to unlock Room 220 had become the key for Room 306. This led to everyone scrambling for a 306 key, which immediately became impossible to find on the Flea Market, skyrocketing to insane prices. Additionally, some players misinterpreted the quest text, mistakenly believing that the room required for the quest had changed to Room 306. Later on, it seems BSG made another adjustment , causing Skier to give out both the key for Room 220 and the key for Room 306 as part of the Initial Equipment. However, those who had already accepted the quest before this change only received the 220 key and were still stuck. Finally, BSG appears to have reverted everything back to how it was originally , with only the 220 key being necessary to unlock Room 220. Apparently, they wanted to introduce this change, but instead of doing it right at the start of the wipe, they did it when it was already begun, creating a lot of confusion. Who knows, maybe in the next wipe we’ll see this variation of the quest return, hopefully introduced from day one?

On the 19th of September, in preparation for TwitchCon in San Diego, Battlestate Games has released a new patch for Arena. There are several interesting improvements and a few new things introduced that are quite promising. Let's discuss the patch notes together. Reading the patch notes, the first and most important thing to note is the Technical improvements section, which promises better performance in the network component of EFT: Arena. Since the start of the new wipe, many players (me included) have experienced worse-than-ever performance problems in Arena, including bad hit registration, desync, and general performance issues. This patch seems to address these problems with: increased server tick rate, improved interaction between the game server and client, reduced frame time on servers (which reduces latency before network packets are processed), and fewer situations where hits were not registered . Quality Of Life Improvements Another interesting change is related to region selection . This is now available in-game instead of in the launcher only, and should make it much easier for players to select regions with better ping without having to exit the game. More QoL improvements should also be achieved through the Task Widget , that will allow easier tracking of tasks. It's also important to note that now all operational tasks will be accepted automatically . BSG also introduced the ability to re-select the equipment preset at the start of the match and when switching sides in BlastGang mode. This allows players to double-check their selected preset, make adjustments as needed depending on their teammates' choices, and even adapt to enemy strategies by changing presets when switching sides. Balancing The other changes introduced in Patch 0.2.1.0 are related to balancing the damage done by certain bullets and how armors absorb blunt damage from projectiles, specifically reducing the soft armor blunt throughput damage reduction from 40% to 20% when present under ballistic plates. Let's practice! Lastly, Patch 0.2.1.0 introduces a new and useful feature: the Shooting Range , which allows players to test their presets, practice aiming, and warm up before matches. This is a great addition because while players with both EFT and Arena could previously use the Shooting Range in EFT or the Practice Mode, those who only bought Arena didn’t have any means to test weapons without participating in a match. Moreover, the shooting range is a great mean to improve your aiming and shooting skills , making you more prepared to fight enemies in battle. It may sound trivial, but half an hour of daily target practice can significantly elevate your abilities and reaction time. If you don’t believe me, try it, and you’ll see for yourself. Isn't something missing? Something I was expecting in this patch but was not even mentioned is a fix for the issues some players are experiencing with reputation in EFT after playing Arena. If you don’t know about this, you can read our article "Protect your reputation! Stop playing Arena (for now)". Check the link below. I hope they’ve fixed the problem without mentioning it in the patch notes because I enjoy having some matches of Arena, but I stopped, fearing consequences for my traders' reputation in EFT. Read the full patch notes on the official EFT: Arena website .

The EFT community is on high alert over potential duping exploits that could destroy the game's economy through the Flea Market. Let’s see if there’s any truth to these concerns. Recently, the Escape from Tarkov community has been buzzing with concern, sparked by streamers like Axel and VeryBadSCAV , over the possible existence of an exploit or cheat that allows players to duplicate in-game items. It's false! Initially, this idea was met with skepticism. Many thought it was simply a misunderstanding, with accusations of cheating/exploiting aimed at players buying large amounts of an item at a specific price, only to resell it at a higher price, effectively manipulating the market. However, it now seems there might actually be a method to duplicate items . So, is it true? Without diving too deep into the details (so as not to encourage people to exploit it), the method allegedly involves joining a raid with a friend and then disconnecting from the raid by pressing ESC and choosing to leave. Normally, this action would leave the player's character severely wounded and their inventory empty due to receiving a "Missing In Action" (MIA) status. But apparently, due to a current bug, players performing this action keep all their gear, and nothing is lost. Meanwhile, the friend still in the raid can loot the disconnected player's body, retrieving the same gear, thus completing the duplication . Will the in game economy collapse then? This method is quite laborious and time-consuming, so I doubt it will lead to a full market collapse in EFT, but I’m sure there will be some bored players with too much free time looking to exploit this bug for some illicit gains or extra Roubles. Even though the effects of this exploit appear not to be game-breaking and might not cause a huge amount of damage, we still hope Battlestate Games isn’t too distracted by TwitchCon and manages to fix this bug as soon as possible .

On September 20th, BSG released a new roadmap for the end of 2024, highlighting several exciting features that could potentially have a significant impact on the game. BSG has chosen to update the EFT community on their plans for the remaining months of 2024, leading up to what is expected to be the next wipe at the end of December. As shown in the image they shared, there are several new developments for both Arena and EFT. Let’s go over the key points: EFT: Arena New Locations:  By the end of the year, two new maps are expected, one of which will be the "Fort" map that Nikita recently teased on social media and was tested by participants at TwitchCon. The details of the second map remain unknown. New Game Mode:  High expectations surround the new game mode, although specifics are still under wraps. Some speculate it might be a "Gun Game" mode, where players progress through rounds using specific weapons. Others hope for modes like "Conquest" or "Capture the Flag." Molotov Cocktail:  This new throwable could be fun, ideal for blocking off passages, defending areas, or flushing out enemies hiding in tight spaces by roasting them as they deserve. Battle Pass System:  Although controversial in other games, the real test will be how it’s implemented and what it brings to EFT. Technical Improvements, Gameplay Adjustments, QoL Enhancements, Ranked Calibration System:  These tweaks, along with bug fixes, aim to make the gameplay experience more enjoyable and less frustrating. San Diego TwitchCon 2024 attenders watch a match played in the new EFT:Arena map "Fort" Escape From Tarkov As the full game release approaches, which Nikita confirmed should happen next year at TwitchCon, BSG seems to be moving swiftly to address major issues and meet player demands. Unity 2022 Update:  Announced multiple times in the past, we’re hoping this time it sticks. As others have mentioned, including Nikita at TwitchCon, it’s important to manage expectations about what the update will bring. Many expect improvements in graphical quality, performance (like higher FPS), and netcode once the update hits. Nikita confirmed these improvements will happen, but gradually . The new engine won’t immediately deliver these upgrades; rather, it will provide new tools and settings for developers to make these improvements over the coming months . Personally, like many others, I expect some initial hiccups with the update, but I’m optimistic it will eventually pay off and lead to overall performance gains. It’s no surprise the roadmap includes also two phases of " Game Client Performance Optimization " and " Technical Improvements ." Sound Engine Improvements:  While Patch 0.15 brought major improvements to sound quality—making it more realistic and immersive—some changes have worsened sound directionality . Vertical sound positioning, in particular, has become more challenging, making it harder to tell if an enemy is above, below, or on the same level. Let’s hope these upcoming "improvements" finally bring the sound engine up to the quality and reliability a game like EFT deserves. Other EFT Features: Stash/Hideout Interaction While Matching:  At last, players will be able to use the waiting time productively, instead of staring at a timer or watching YouTube shorts on a second screen. Item Locking in Stash:  This much-requested feature would allow players to use auto-sorting in their inventory without disturbing manually organized items. This is going to be a huge QoL change! It would also be helpful to be able to choose whether to auto-sort the stash from top to bottom or vice versa. Many (myself included) prefer the free space at the top so that after a raid, we can quickly transfer items from PMC or Scav to the stash using CTRL+click, then organize them later. Finally, other additions on the roadmap include seasonal changes (autumn first, then winter), new weapons , "weapon content" (unclear what that entails), new in-game events , expansions of mechanics introduced with Patch 0.15 , and further QoL improvements as requested by players. And that’s all. Let’s hope everything goes smoothly and that BSG manages to meet all the deadlines in this roadmap!

Having trouble hitting your shots? Why do bullets sometimes unexpectedly land above or below your intended target? In this deep dive into EFT ballistics, we’ll explore what happens when you fire a bullet and just how realistic its behavior is. Recently, I came across an interesting post on Reddit by user newSillssa , which confirmed some ballistics principles I already knew while also teaching me a few new things. While I don’t claim to have become an expert, I’ll try to explain what I’ve learned in a simple way. No, We're Not Shooting Laser Guns The first thing to understand is that in a game simulating realistic ballistics like EFT, bullets don’t travel in a straight line like laser beams. Instead, they’re subject to gravity (or at least a simulation of it), and as soon as they leave the barrel, gravity starts pulling them downward, causing them to follow a curved trajectory . The more “powerful” a bullet is (which depends on the explosion of the gunpowder and the force it generates), the more kinetic energy it carries, and more muzzle velocity. This means its trajectory will be flatter and longer, allowing it to reach farther distances. With less "power" and kinetic energy, gravity pulls the bullet down sooner, resulting in a shorter range. Check out this demonstration of a projectile trajectory in a video by the great EFT sniping expert and streamer SgtPrepperTV . The Barrel and Sights Are Not Parallel Parallel lines never meet, so if your gun’s barrel and sights were parallel, you would never hit your target accurately. When you also consider that bullets don’t travel in straight lines, things get even trickier. In reality, the barrel and sights are angled so that the bullet’s trajectory and your line of sight through the sights intersect. The point where they meet is called the "zero". With precision scopes, this zero is adjustable. You can tweak the scope’s angle relative to the barrel so that the point of intersection gets closer or farther away from you. For example, if you need to hit a target at 50 meters, you’d set the zero to 50 meters. If the target is at 100 meters, you’d adjust the zero to 100, and so on. There Are Two Zeros : the Near Zero and the Far Zero If bullets traveled in a straight line, the point where the bullet and your line of sight intersect would be singular. However, since bullets follow an arc, there are actually two intersection points. As seen in the diagram, the bullet exits the barrel, which is slightly angled upward, and begins its arc. Depending on how the sight is set, the bullet will first cross the line of sight at a certain distance, known as the n ear zero (B). If there are no obstacles, the bullet continues its upward trajectory, pushed by the kinetic energy from the gunpowder explosion. However, this energy gradually dissipates due to gravity and air resistance. As the bullet moves, its kinetic energy decreases, and after reaching its peak, it begins to fall, crossing the line of sight again. This second intersection point is called the far zero (C). Adjusting Aim Since it’s impossible to adjust the zero for every possible distance, and typically there are set adjustments for 50, 100, 150, 200 meters, and beyond (depending on the sight), if your target is at a distance in between these settings or beyond the maximum setting, you’ll need to adjust your aim by aiming higher or lower . Additionally, you may need to make quick adjustments if you don't have time to change the zero , such as when an enemy appears suddenly, and you need to take them out before they shoot or escape your view. In these cases, it's of crucial importance to know whether you're using the near zero or the far zero to aim at your target , as this will determine whether the bullet is on the ascending or descending part of its trajectory when it hits. Why? Looking at the diagram again, you’ll notice that in the case of the near zero , the bullet is below the line of sight before it reaches zero and above after passing it. This means if your target is closer than the near zero , you’ll need to aim higher to hit it. If it’s farther away, you’ll need to aim lower. If you’re using the far zero , the situation is reversed. The bullet is above the line of sight before it reaches zero and below after it passes. So, if your target is closer than the far zero , you’ll need to aim lower, and if it's farther, aim higher. This is precisely what happens in the video newSillssa  posted on Reddit. NewSillssa  was confused because their first shot, aimed above the enemy’s head, missed, while the second shot, aimed lower, hit the head. They had their zero set to 50 meters, but the target was 160 meters away. The confusion arose because newSillssa  expected to hit their shot by aiming higher , given the target was farther than their set zero , but they didn't account for the bullet’s arcing trajectory. In fact, by setting the zero to 50 meters, the far zero was beyond 160 meters and thus well past the target . Being already in the downward part of its trajectory, by aiming above the target (the enemy’s head) the bullet flew over it . Aiming lower, at the torso level, the bullet struck the enemy’s head. Their calculation would have been correct if the target was closer and they were using the near zero , so that the projectile was still in its upward part of its trajectory. But since the target was far away, and already in the downward part of its trajectory they should have used the opposite calculation, for the reasons I explained earlier . Know Your Weapon By now, it should be clear how important it is to know your weapon and the trajectory of its bullets. This trajectory is affected by both the weapon and the type of ammunition used. By understanding these factors, you’ll know at which distance the bullet will reach the peak of its arc and begin descending. This allows you to calculate where to aim depending on whether your target is closer or farther than this peak. For example, when using an M4A1 with M855 ammo, we know that the bullet’s trajectory peaks around 50-60 meters, which helps us adjust our aim for targets either closer or farther away. EFT vs Real Life As for realism, any real-life marksman will tell you that EFT’s ballistics simulation is simplified and lacks some real-world factors, such as wind affecting a bullet’s trajectory. However, it’s fair to say that the elements present are faithful to reality. All Clear? To be honest, when I first saw newSillssa ’s video, read the post, and went through the explanations in the comments, I was confused. But after re-reading and studying the diagram I’ve shared here, everything made sense. I hope I’ve explained these concepts clearly, helping you improve your aim and achieve more success in EFT. If not, feel free to ask questions in the comments . I’ll be happy to clarify. You can also check out the original Reddit post or the web page linked in the post , from which I’ve taken some of the ideas and diagrams used here.

Patch 0.15.2.0 brings an array of new mechanics, particularly through the dynamic map-to-map travel and the high-stakes Mortar Strike event. Together with the AI improvements, balancing changes, and QoL updates, this patch enhances both the depth and accessibility of Escape from Tarkov. As the game continues to evolve, players can look forward to further challenges and opportunities for mastery, with the current patch marking another step forward in the game’s development. Escape from Tarkov  has just rolled out patch 0.15.2.0, bringing a series of significant updates, new gameplay features, and quality-of-life improvements that are sure to enhance the experience for both new and veteran players. In this article, we’ll dive into the main highlights of the patch, including the introduction of map-to-map travel, the new Mortar Strike event, AI adjustments, balancing changes, and much more. Map-to-Map Travel: Expanding the Tactical Landscape One of the standout features of this patch is the addition of map-to-map travel, allowing players to transition between different locations during normal raids (without activating the Marathon mode). This functionality is available in both PvP and PvE modes, and it’s even accessible for Player Scavs, adding a new layer of strategy as players move between various maps. The patch also introduces several new key transit routes that were not present in the previous Marathon mode introduced with Patch 0.15.0.0. These routes enable players to adapt on the fly, whether seeking safer extraction points, changing up their loot runs, or pursuing new tactical angles. Additionally, the activation time for these transitions has been reduced to just one minute after the raid starts , ensuring smooth, dynamic movement across the map. To align with these changes, some Marathon event tasks and the Marathon achievement have been adjusted. Some Marathon event tasks, as well as the Marathon achievement, have been adjusted but remain available for completion. New Event: Mortar Strike The new Mortar Strike event promises to keep players on their toes. Local inhabitants have gained access to mortars, unleashing sporadic bombardments across open areas of Customs, Woods, Shoreline, and Reserve. This event adds a unique challenge as mortars target these maps in both PvP, PvE, and practice modes. Scavs, bosses, and other AI-controlled enemies are designed to react to mortar attacks, adding an extra layer of realism and danger. For players brave enough to take on this challenge, a new set of tasks has been introduced, offering exclusive rewards, including: Mortar Warning Equipment : A special item that alerts players of incoming mortar fire, helping them steer clear of dangerous zones. Mortar Fire Consumable : An item that lets players initiate a mortar strike at their own position, giving them a powerful, if risky, tactical tool. Unique Achievement : Completing the task line during the event will earn players a limited-time achievement. Improved AI: More Realistic Enemy Behavior Patch 0.15.2.0 also includes notable improvements to AI behavior , especially for Partisan AI. These adjustments make enemy movements smoother and more varied when taking cover or navigating long distances. The AI now better integrates tripwire use and displays more natural movement patterns when retreating to cover, raising the challenge for players aiming for tactical precision. Quality of Life (QoL) Improvements and Balancing This patch also brings several QoL improvements, like removing the "Found in Raid" tag from in-game currencies, making them easier to use in barters or tasks without special designation. The patch also introduces new barter options, including: BNTI Gzhel-K Body Armor  (without ballistic plates) — Available through Ragman, LL3 6B43 Zabralo-Sh Body Armor  (without ballistic plates) — Available through Prapor, LL4 Additionally, notable changes include adjustments to the popular Vulkan-5 LShZ-5 Helmet : Armor class reduced from 6 to 5, with armor points lowered from 99 to 75. Reduced cost and wearing penalties, along with an increased spawn chance. Task updates have also been implemented to make progression more flexible. For instance, the “Punisher - Part 5” task now allows players to hand over any variation of the AK-74 and Makarov pistol, while “Spa Tour - Part 3” and “Slaughterhouse” tasks permit alternative item submissions for completion. Audio and Sound Improvements To enhance immersion and tactical play, patch 0.15.2.0 introduces a range of audio improvements, including: Improved Occlusion : Lamp sounds, door interactions, and container noises now have better occlusion, making them more realistic in both first- and third-person perspectives. Volume Adjustments : The USEC Charlie voice volume has been increased, adding clarity to in-game communications. These changes address previous sound issues, such as the inconsistent volume of grenade sounds and backpack drops, ensuring better sound cues. Bug Fixes: Smoother Gameplay The update resolves a series of bugs, including animation freezes with the MP-43-1C double-barrel shotgun reload and glitches when jumping over barbed wire. Other notable fixes include: Improved item list display when selling modded weapons or containers. Resolved issues with leveling the Intelligence skill through Hideout crafting. Corrected ballistic plate compatibility for specific plate carriers. These fixes refine the core gameplay experience, addressing visual, collision, and weight-calculation issues that previously disrupted immersion.  To see a complete and detailed list of the changes, check out the full Patch 0.15.2.0. notes .

Today, 04/10/2024, BSG released an update that claimed to solve the bug mentioned in this article. However, the problem hasn't been fully resolved. While the snipers no longer shoot at you, the extraction point itself still doesn't work. UPDATE 05/10/2024: it seems that after an initial problem (read the article below) the flare extractions are all been fixed and now work properly. This morning, players were excited to learn that BSG had released a quick fix for the flare extraction bug that had been killing players trying to extract at Mira Ave in Ground Zero and Klimov Street in Streets of Tarkov. However, after logging in to try the fix, they were disappointed to discover that BSG's solution was not as effective as hoped. Upon reaching Mira Ave in Ground Zero and using the green flare in the signal area, players were initially relieved as they were no longer under sniper fire. However, they quickly realized that the familiar extraction countdown failed to appear . Despite growing anxiety that the snipers might still open fire, some players stayed in the extraction area and moved around, but nothing happened. No countdown, and no extraction. The same thing seems to be happening at Klimov Street in Streets of Tarkov. What can I say... let's hope BSG manages to release another quick fix today, and this time, that it works properly! UPDATE 05/10/2024:  it seems that after the initial problem described in this article the flare extractions are all fixed and now work properly.

Have you ever come across an airdrop crate in Escape From Tarkov that just won’t open? You might be wondering if there's some secret trick to it or if it's just another classic Tarkov bug. Well, my friends, let me introduce you to the return of the infamous Elmer's Glue Gang! Here’s what you need to know (and how to solve the issue ) . UPDATE 11/10/24 : after further investigation it seems that the bug is related to scav raids only . It all started with a Reddit post that brought this peculiar problem into the spotlight: airdrop crates that simply refuse to open . Players across Tarkov have been finding these stubborn crates, unable to peek inside or grab any loot. Naturally, the community had to put their own spin on it. Reddit Reactions: The Glue Chronicles On Reddit, the players were quick to provide some explanations  for these sealed crates. A cheeky user admitted, "I glued it shut, sorry." Others joined in, like another user commented, "I heard someone glued it shut and you can't open it without a certain melee weapon, sorry." Then there was someone who pointed out something even more suspicious: "I went to the local Ultra mall and every single store was out of glue. I don’t know if it’s related or not, I just wanted to share." And let’s not forget another player joked, "New boss, Gluehar." Classic Reddit shenanigans at their finest. The Mysterious Elmer's Glue Gang The speculation didn’t stop there. Some players have suggested that the infamous Elmer's Glue Gang has returned, pulling off elaborate glue heists and sealing up the goods. One user claimed, "Oh, they glue those down so you cannot get into them actually." Another, added some humor, saying, "I saw a glue sniffer running around the other day. He might have spilled some and glued it shut." It’s clear that everyone is having a bit of fun with this, whether they’re the culprits or just amused spectators. A Workaround for the Glued Crates While the real reason behind this sticky situation remains shrouded in mystery, I do have a workaround for you! As one player mentioned, force-quitting EFT by pressing ALT+F4, restarting the game, and rejoining the abandoned raid allows you to finally open the crate and grab the loot inside. The EFT Community Spirit: Embracing the Chaos In true Tarkov spirit, players have turned a frustrating bug into something memorable and entertaining. Whether it’s memes about needing a blowtorch or the ongoing jokes about the return of the Elmer's Glue Gang, the community finds a way to laugh through the chaos. After all, there’s no better way to cope with Tarkov’s unpredictable world than by embracing it—glue, jokes, and all. And if we ever figure out who’s really behind all this glue, you’ll be the first to know! BTW, if you have more info or any suggestions on how to solve the bug, feel free to let us know in the comments. 11/10/24 UPDATE:  After further investigations, it appears that the bug happens when a player joins as a scav a raid where an airdrop crate is already present on the map (either on the ground or still dropping from the sky). This seems to bug the crate for the player scav, making it unlootable. Force-quitting by pressing ALT+F4 and rejoining the abandoned raid is confirmed to correct this.

The recent TarkovTV stream on October 31 gave Escape from Tarkov fans a unique chance to hear directly from Battlestate Games’ head, Nikita Buyanov, and get a glimpse of what’s next for the game. As usual, Nikita broadcasted from his Hideout, joined by Damirka, disguised as a Scav in a balaclava, adding a playful touch of humor to the show. Arena Patch 0.2.2: A New Map and Game Mode Nikita started off with updates for Arena , announcing patch 0.2.2, which will feature a new map called Fort . Inspired by a prison set on a hill near the beach, the map has been praised by testers for its balanced layout and engaging gameplay. The patch will also introduce a new mode called Checkpoint , a 5v5 team deathmatch based on capturing control points. Other additions in Arena  include: v40 Grenade  – smaller and less powerful than the current grenades in Escape from Tarkov . M18 Smoke Grenade  – with a denser, faster smoke spread. A dedicated Achievement System  and a new MVP animation to highlight the top players of each match. The patch will also improve quest synchronization  between Arena  and Escape from Tarkov , making it easier to progress across both modes. Unity 2022 Upgrade, New Year Patch and Prestige System Due to technical problems, the anticipated Unity 2022   upgrade has been pushed to the end-of-year patch, giving Nikita a chance to reveal more about what’s coming. This patch will introduce a new Prestige System , available for PvP only, allowing players to reset their progress for rewards like prestige levels, dog tags, melee weapons, special containers, main menu backgrounds, new hats, and more. There will be ten prestige levels, each with cosmetic rewards, giving players incentives to reset and aim for higher goals. Customs Map Overhaul and Updates for Woods One of the highlights of the patch will be a major overhaul of the Customs map . Nikita confirmed that, just like Factory, Customs will undergo a big redesign with new explorable areas and a stronger focus on immersion. The Woods  map will also receive new content, including quests from the BTR driver and a new depot area. The Woods update will add extra exit points, expanding the tactical options for players. Other Updates and General Improvements Nikita teased additional changes aimed at improving the overall experience: Hideout Customization  – Players will be able to personalize their hideout, although specific details haven’t been shared yet. Winter Camouflage  – With the winter season approaching, there will be new white camouflage for clothing and backpacks, perfect for blending into the snowy landscapes featured in the winter versions of the maps. New Sako TRG M10  sniper rifle and the iconic AA-12  shotgun, adding even more variety to Escape from Tarkov ’s arsenal. Updated SIG Sauer MPX Enhanced Healing System  – Players will be able to heal multiple body parts in succession by holding down one key, without needing to press it repeatedly. Detailed Post-Raid Stats  – This new system will provide detailed info on who hit whom, types of damage dealt, and other useful insights for analyzing combat. Traps on Bodies and Containers  – Players will be able to set up tripwire-style traps not only on the ground but also inside bodies and containers. This adds a new level of danger for inexperienced or overly eager players who don’t check carefully before looting. Future updates will also bring continuous sound optimization  and other technical improvements to keep enhancing the gameplay experience. Introducing Big Boom: The RPG-26 Aglen Arrives During the stream, Nikita also discussed the addition of the RPG-26 Aglen to Escape from Tarkov. He explained that while they initially considered introducing the RPG-7 with various ammunition types to combat armored vehicles and for anti-personnel use, they decided to implement the single-use RPG-26 instead. This choice aims to provide players with a straightforward and effective weapon against armored targets. Trick or Threat? Recoil System Changes One of the standout moments of TarkovTV  was when Nikita presented proposed changes to the recoil system. After showing a demo video, the Twitch chat lit up with negative reactions, with many players calling out to leave recoil as it is now. Nikita, pretending to be annoyed and frustrated by the community’s reaction, jokingly responded, “OK, OK, if you don’t like it, we won’t put it in!” Given Tarkov’s rocky history with its recoil system, Nikita was likely just teasing the fans. EFT has faced strong criticism over weapon recoil in the past, and BSG has since made various improvements to address it. This exchange seems more like a playful jab at the community, with no real intention of implementing the proposed changes. Halloween Event and the Surprise Ending of TarkovTV TarkovTV  wrapped up with a skit that teased the new Halloween event in Escape from Tarkov . After the joke about the recoil system, The Hideout  began filling with smoke, a red alarm started flashing, and several armed PMC actors stormed in, pushing Nikita to wear a gas mask and escorting him out. This scene led into a video announcing the Halloween event, set in the The Labs  map. In the event, The Labs  is the backdrop for virus experiments that have turned people into zombies, bringing a creepy, unique experience to Escape from Tarkov . While the exact length of the event hasn’t been confirmed, it’s expected to last beyond Halloween weekend, probably for about a week, with various quests to complete. If you’re curious to dive into more Halloween details, check out our dedicated article on the event . For those interested in watching the full 31.10.24 TarkovTV stream you can check it on Escape from Tarkov Twitch channel .

The Halloween event in Escape from Tarkov is back, bringing a series of new challenges and a chilling presence of zombies across almost every map. This year’s event consists of several tasks, with two new ones released each day. If you want to survive this undead wave and earn valuable rewards, keep reading for a complete guide on the tasks, survival strategies, and tips to help you make the most of this event. Event Tasks and Objectives The event includes a series of quests to complete for progression and special rewards: 10 quests if you choose the path through Therapist 11 quests if you choose the path through Jaeger You can check all the quests and the 2 different paths by starting with the first one Don't Believe Your Eyes on the EFT Wiki and using the links to check the next in line. The Jaeger path is a bit more complicated and expensive. Achievements and Rewards Players can earn one of two achievements: Fatal Outcome  for completing the questline through Therapist and Complete Remission  for completing it through Jaeger. True Completionists who want to earn both achievements on a single account can do it by resetting their profile after the first completion and replay the event through the alternate questline. If you are one of them, it's best to do the Jager path first because it's the most complicated and expensive. The Therapist path is shorter, less complicated and less expensive and it's easier to do that one with a freshly reset account. Dynamic Zombie Infection The zombie infection isn't constant across all maps. However, this status is dynamic; a map that has been cleansed can become re-infected, leading to the reappearance of zombies. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, regularly check the official Escape from Tarkov website . Survival and Immunity: Managing Zombie Infection Zombies inflict an infection that quickly drain your hydration. Luckily, certain injectors can help: Zagustin : Grants temporary immunity for 3 minutes, preventing infection. Propital : Provides health regeneration, which is useful to mitigate the health loss caused by the dehydrated status. SJ12 : Provides hydration and energy regeneration that counteracts the effect of the infection. Best Weapons and Ammo Against Zombies Zombies lack armor, making high flesh-damage ammo especially effective. Some players prefer SMGs, others shotguns, and some favor high-caliber weapons. Personally, I prefer high-caliber options like the SA-58 with 7.62x51mm Ultra Nosler ammo , as it easily achieves one-shot kills—especially with headshots. I found SMGs less effective than high calibers. Shotguns are powerful and fitting, but unless you have the largest magazines, frequent reloading becomes an issue. Plus, the price of high-capacity shotgun magazines has surged on the flea market since the event started. The drawback of high flesh-damage ammo is its limited effectiveness against armored PMCs and bosses , often requiring leg shots for quicker kills. Alternatively, you could invest in high-penetration rounds, but this risks significant financial loss—as zombies will inevitably take you down more times than you’d like. General Survival Strategies Elevated Safety: Standing on top of objects can provide a temporary safe zone from zombies, as they usually struggle with pathfinding to reach elevated spots and they seem to be unable to jump or vault. By positioning yourself on sturdy surfaces like tables, vehicles, or containers, you can buy time to reload, heal, or regroup. However, remember that staying on elevated spots too long can make you an easy target for other players or zombies capable of ranged attack . Always stay alert and be prepared to move if the situation changes. Safe Zones : Locked or unlockable rooms are safe from zombies, as they can’t seem to enter areas that are locked at the start of the raid. If you have the key or know how to access these areas, they provide a secure place to rest, heal, and reload. The only known exception is the Med Tent extraction room, where zombies have occasionally been found already inside—likely due to direct spawning. Ammo Management : Bring a large supply of ammunition and fully loaded mags, as zombie raids can demand hundreds of rounds. Some players even carry two of the same weapon to counteract wear from intense use and avoid potential malfunctions. Endurance-Boosting Injectors : o boost stamina capacity and regeneration, helping you outrun pursuing zombies, consider using injectors like the SJ6 TGLabs combat stimulant . This injector enables longer sprints and quicker recovery—giving you a critical advantage when evading zombies or moving swiftly between tasks. Armored Protection : Pistol-wielding zombies are particularly dangerous, often aiming for the neck and throat. Armor that protects these areas is essential for surviving their shots. Loot and New Areas During the Halloween event, you can find pumpkin-shaped containers that can only be opened back at your hideout. These pumpkins hold random, rare, and valuable items  like Power Filters, Virtex and Graphics Cards. In addition to that, the recent patch in Escape from Tarkov introduced two new areas which initially featured an incredible abundance of rare loot. A few hours after the Halloween event started, the loot distribution has been rebalanced, resulting in a decrease in the availability of high-value items. However, these locations continue to offer substantial rewards for players willing to explore them. Laboratory Expansion:  It’s located in the southwest area of the first floor. Below is a segment of a Labs map from the EFT Wiki page , with the approximate location marked (map by Monkimonkimonk). Woods Bunker : It's located between the Bridge Car Extract and the Sunken Village. The bunker has already been added to the updated Woods maps available on the EFT Wiki page . Below is a section of one of these maps showing the exact location (map by Jinduoz). Final Thoughts: Love It or Hate It? The event has created mixed opinions among players. Some enjoy the novelty of the PvE element, while others find the zombie invasion too disruptive. However, this addition provides a break from Tarkov’s usual PvP encounters and adds variety for survival enthusiasts. If you’re enjoying this event, be sure to prepare well for the upcoming tasks and make the most of the available rewards. The Halloween event in Escape from Tarkov  offers an exciting challenge for those seeking action and survival. If you’re ready to face the zombie invasion, gear up with patience and ammunition and dive into this one-of-a-kind experience! UPDATE 6.11.24 : Pestily just posted a COMPLETE Halloween 2024 Task Guide & Tips video . Watch it for more details and visual explanations about the questline.

As with previous updates, Patch 0.15.5.0 introduced a few changes that weren’t listed in the patch notes: two new areas (which is big!) and some visual updates to certain in-game items. New Areas The patch introduced two new areas  which initially featured an incredible abundance of rare loot. A few hours later the loot distribution has been rebalanced, resulting in a decrease in the availability of high-value items. However, these locations continue to offer substantial rewards  for players willing to explore them. It’s worth checking them out before the loot changes again. Laboratory Expansion:  This area has been added as the setting for several key tasks in the Halloween Event. It’s located in the southwest area of the first floor. West of the Blue keycard room. Below is a segment of a Labs map from the EFT Wiki page , with the approximate location marked (map by Monkimonkimonk). Woods Bunker : While its function is still unclear (I thought it would be part of the Halloween Event, but that doesn’t seem to be the case), this new bunker is located between the Bridge Car Extract and the Sunken Village. The bunker has already been added to the updated Woods maps available on the EFT Wiki page . Below is a section of one of these maps showing the exact location (map by Jinduoz). New Items Skins In the latest update, several in-game item skins have been altered. While a comprehensive list isn't available yet, one noticeable change is the appearance of the Slim Diary, which now looks like this: Who knows what other hidden changes BSG has made without mentioning them in the patch notes! So far, no others have been noticed, but if any more come to light, I’ll update you as soon as possible. Stay tuned!

The new patch 0.2.2.0 brings fresh content and key improvements to Escape from Tarkov: Arena, enhancing both gameplay and strategic options. Notable adjustments include a reduction in cash and experience rewards to balance the fast progression compared to Escape from Tarkov. Here are the main changes worth noting. Adjusted Cash Rewards and Experience Points In an effort to rebalance progression between Escape from Tarkov  and Arena —especially following the latest wipe, where Arena  enabled PMC characters to progress far too fast compared to EFT  alone—this patch reduces cash and experience rewards across several modes. Cash rewards are now 15% lower in BlastGang  and LastHero  modes and 20% lower in TeamFight . In Checkpoint , the reward structure includes 275,000 roubles for victory, with deductions for losses and draws. Additionally, experience points for actions such as kills, headshots, and objectives have been scaled back to create a more balanced progression. Frankly, I expected these reductions to be much larger ; they’re around 15-20%, which is fairly reasonable given how quickly players were earning both money and experience in Arena  compared to EFT . In my opinion, despite the reductions, Arena  will remain an excellent way to gain experience , cash, and improve PMC skills for those who want to take advantage of it. This should reassure players who were worried about losing Arena  as an efficient progression option, though I’m sure there will still be some (unreasonable) complaints. EFT Task Synchronization and Compensation The patch addresses a major issue by restoring task synchronization between Escape from Tarkov  and Arena . Known bugs causing desynchronization between player profiles in both games have been fixed, with compensation promised soon for players who lost progress due to these problems. I genuinely hope this fix finally resolves the synchronization issues that led to lost reputation with EFT’s traders , and that these problems don’t return. For players who’ve been affected, especially those waiting months, I hope the promised compensation arrives soon . The delays have frustrated many, with several players even stepping away from EFT because of this issue. New Map - Fort This update introduces Fort , a new combat arena available in the BlastGang  and Checkpoint  modes. The map is set in a mid-19th century Russian fort , initially built as a prison and later used as a military base. Now repurposed, it offers players a unique and atmospheric setting for high-stakes gunfights. New Game Mode - Checkpoint The patch adds Checkpoint , an unranked team deathmatch mode with respawns, where the goal is to capture control points across the map . Teams earn points for each objective they hold, and victory goes to the team that first reaches the required score. This mode is currently available on Bay 5 , Bowl , and Fort . Synchronization of Clothing The update improves the integration between EFT  and Arena  by restoring synchronization for tactical clothing. Now, outfits purchased in one game can be used in the other, although some items remain restricted due to design conflicts, such as armband colors. New Grenades This patch also introduces two new types of grenades: the V40 Mini-Grenade and the yellow M18 smoke grenade . The V40 , less lethal than traditional grenades, replaces RGD-5 and F-1 grenades in certain modes to reduce unintended deaths. Meanwhile, the yellow M18 enhances tactical play with thicker, faster smoke deployment. Bug Fixes A series of bug fixes aim to improve stability and overall gameplay quality. For example, they resolved an issue where the laser module was incorrectly displayed for spectators and fixed a bug that caused players' kill counts to reset after reconnecting in LastHero  mode. Notably, the patch also addresses a problem where items weren’t available for unlock and purchase even after meeting all conditions and corrects item layering issues when transferring items from Arena  to EFT . Additionally, a couple of issues causing unwanted temporary bans have been fixed. For a full list of changes, you can check the complete patch notes here . Got thoughts on the patch? Drop your hottest takes in the comments—I’m all ears (and ready for the drama)!

Insurance allows us to get back the equipment we lost in a raid. But how does it work? Is it really worth insuring what we bring into a raid? In what cases is it not worth it or does it not work? Let’s explore all these interesting aspects of this feature. How does insurance work in Escape from Tarkov? Before starting a raid, you have the option to insure your equipment from the dedicated screen. It’s recommended to use the “Insure All” checkbox to ensure you don’t miss anything. After selecting “Insure All,” you can manually deselect any items you don’t want to insure by clicking on them. Additionally, you can insure items individually from your stash or inventory by right-clicking them and selecting “Insure.” If the insured items are not extracted from the raid because you die or drop them (and nobody picks them up), they will be sent back to you via your inbox. Insured equipment will not be returned to you immediately . You’ll need to wait for a certain amount of time (between 12 and 36 hours), depending on the trader you chose to insure with. Once the items are returned to you, you have a limited time to retrieve them from your inbox . If that time expires, you will lose them permanently. If you insure with Prapor, you’ll pay slightly less than with Therapist, receive the insured items after 24–36 hours, and have 4 days to claim them (16 days with the Unheard Edition). If you insure with Therapist, you’ll pay slightly more than with Prapor, receive the insured items after 12–24 hours, and have 6 days to claim them (24 days with the Unheard Edition). The choice between using Prapor or Therapist can depend on cost, the urgency to retrieve your items, or the convenience of leaving them in the inbox longer if your stash is already full of gear. It is possible to reduce the items return time by 20% by upgrading the Intelligence Center to level 2 in you Hideout. With elite Hideout Management skill it's further reduced to 30% (buyers of the "Edge of Darkness" edition have a 30% reduced item return time). You can only insure gear items, containers and intel items, not consumables . For instance, you can insure weapons (including all their parts), helmets, armor, backpacks, but not items like ammunition, keys, or healing supplies. When you use insurance, you insure the item itself, not its contents : for example, if you insure a backpack with uninsured or uninsurable items inside, those contents will not be returned to you. You can also insure and get back any insurable item that is not equipped . For example, you can insure a second helmet and keep it in your backpack as a spare to bring into the raid. When does insurance not work? If someone picks up your insured items and extracts with them, you won’t get them back.  Similarly, if an AI picks up your insured items and is not killed before the raid ends, you won’t get them back. However, if an AI takes your items, is killed by another player, and that player extracts with the items, you still won’t get them back. MIA:  If you get the "Missing In Action" status, insurance won’t work. This happens only if you fail to extract before the raid timer runs out or die from dehydration. You can bypass this exception by dropping all insured items on the ground . If the timer is almost up, you can drop everything where you are since the raid is about to close, ensuring no one picks them up. If you’re about to die from dehydration and the raid isn’t ending soon, it’s best to hide your insured items or throw them in unreachable spots (like water) to prevent them from being “stolen.” The Lab:  Insurance doesn’t work in The Lab scenario. You can insure your items before entering, but if you lose them, you won’t get them back anyway . Use insurance to your advantage (aka insurance fraud) For example, if you find a helmet identical to or better than yours, you can take advantage of the fact you've insured your helmet to leave it behind and wear the other one that isn’t insured. If you extract successfully, you’ll have the new helmet with you, and your original helmet will be returned without needing to carry it out (if no one has picked it up, so it's best to hide it). If you know you’re about to be killed by an enemy or die from other causes (bleeding out, dehydration, or the timer running out when you’re too far from extraction), you can hide your insured items or throw them in unreachable spots (like water) to prevent them from being "stolen." If you’re playing in a team and a teammate gets killed, you can hide their insured gear to ensure no one takes it, and they’ll get it back through insurance. The insurance setup screen But insurance costs money! Is it really worth using it all the time? Yes. Always (or almost always). Based on the advantages outlined above, my general advice is to always use insurance . The cost is proportional to the quality of the items insured, so it makes sense even if the equipment is of low value, as the cost will also be minimal. In fact, you could almost say that the lower the value of the equipment, the more useful insurance becomes, as other players are less likely to pick up low-value items. Moreover, if we’re using low-value gear, it usually means we’re short on money . In this case, we’ll be even happier to get it back and reuse it, compared to when we’re wealthy and can easily repurchase high-value gear. For high-value gear, it’s more likely that other players will "steal" the insured items, so they won’t be returned. However, it often happens that players don’t pick up high-value items for various reasons: They don’t have space in their backpack because they prioritize other items they’ve already collected, which they need for quests, hideout upgrades, or because they have higher value per slot. They don’t risk looting our body because it’s in a dangerous spot, or they suspect we have a teammate waiting to ambush them, or they fear someone else heard the gunfire and is approaching to kill any survivors. They’re not interested in our gear because they prefer to use different types of equipment. It’s also quite common for high-level players, when they realize they’ve killed a much lower-level player, to leave their gear behind as a gesture of sportsmanship (or compassion). Additionally, we might die due to a Scav or another type of AI, or from other causes (falling from a height, dehydration, or the raid timer running out). In situations where other players don’t witness our death and the area isn’t heavily trafficked (or we have the time to hide it), it’s likely no one will pick up our gear , so it will be returned through insurance. Lastly, you can't use insurance to your advantage if you don't insure your gear . The only time it might not be worth insuring is for pieces of equipment we don’t care about . For example, this might occur if we’re raiding with a gun taken from a Scav, which is already damaged and unusable even if returned through insurance. Personally, I insure everything just in case. If I get something back that I don’t need, I can recover part of the insurance cost by selling the items. Generally, I’m always surprised by the amount of equipment that comes back through insurance —sometimes too much, forcing me to sell it to make space in my stash. This has also helped me overcome gear fear , as recovering so much gear made it feel like "free" equipment, encouraging me to use it more freely and with less fear of losing it. You can find more details about insurance by reading the EFT Wiki page on insurance . If you got here from the EFT Tutorial, you can get back using this button:

Patch 0.16 introduced a significant change: items with the "Found in Raid" (FIR) status are now required to upgrade the Hideout. This has major implications for gameplay, playstyle, and inventory management. Fortunately, there are great streamers like Pestily and Gigabeef to help us get the items we need! With Patch 0.16, BSG decided to test the resilience of EFT players by including these two bombshells in the patch notes: Listing offers on the PvP Flea Market will be available two weeks after the end of the Patch 0.16.0.0 installation. Building and upgrading Hideout zones now requires items with the Found in Raid mark, except for in-game currency. These two game-breaking changes were tossed in with such a casual nonchalance among the "Balancing Changes" in the patch notes that it even went unnoticed by some players. However, they’ve already transformed how this wipe is being played. The first change is temporary, but combined with the second, much larger one, it has raised the stakes in every raid . Many veteran players have welcomed these changes, as they've rekindled the tension and nerves they once felt but had lost due to the familiarity and repetitiveness of previous wipes. Finding an item you’ve been searching for (sometimes for days) and then worrying about safely extracting from the raid to avoid losing it is a psychological mechanic at the core of EFT . Losing this thrill reduces the game to mere PvP. And even PvP, without high stakes, loses its value and meaning. Before these changes, the real thrill only came from quest items, rare and highly valuable items on the market, or those that couldn't be purchased and had to be found in raids. Now, even something as simple as a roll of blue duct tape or a box of matches can cause anxiety . And when your backpack starts to fill with 2, 4, or even 8 of these items, the tension builds... and it’s wonderful! Call it masochism if you want, but you know it’s true! Space Problems The biggest change is the requirement to use exclusively FIR items to upgrade your Hideout . This not only raises the stakes during raids but also affects stash management . Previously, players could sell FIR items they didn’t immediately need and repurchase them later when required. Now, they must keep everything—especially rare items. On top of that, quest items must also be FIR . To address this, Lucky Scav Junk Boxes  become essential. These boxes occupy just 16 slots in your stash but provide 196 slots to store barter items. However, we all know that even this space is never enough . Finding Items with a big help from our friend Pestily. Aside from space issues, the real challenge is finding what you need. Anyone with some EFT experience has a general idea of where to find specific items, but few have a truly comprehensive knowledge of the best places to locate every type of item . Thankfully, the universe gave us Pestily , who had the brilliant idea of creating a video guide. In it, he breaks down—map by map and category by category—where to find the items needed for the Hideout . So without further ado, let's check out his video! ULTIMATE TARKOV FIR LOOT GUIDE - WHERE TO FIND YOUR HIDEOUT ITEMS - Escape from Tarkov And Why Not Just Crafting Them? I don't know about you, but every single wipe I find myself struggling for those Salewas and Iskras . In the mean time I upgrade my Hideout and forget that with the newly built Medstation I can craft Salewas and with the Nutrition Unit I can craft the Iskras! Well to avoid happening this to you and to know all useful quest items you can craft + more Patch 0.16 tips and tricks I strongly suggest to see Gigabeef's YT video: 5 Tips You NEED To Know In Tarkov Patch 0.16! Thanks Gigabeef, again.

When a raid goes badly, we all know the sad fate awaiting our gear and the items we’re carrying. The only guaranteed salvation is the Secure Container. A nearly magical space (whose actual location is the subject of ironic speculation and various nicknames) that will save anything that fits into it. As the name suggests, the Secure Container is a safety box part of your inventory where you can store the most valuable items you bring into a raid or find during the raid. If you die, you won't lose its contents, and they'll be immediately available in your hideout once you return. The only downsides of the Secure Container are: It cannot store certain item types, primarily grenades or magazines. If it contains a FIR (Found in Raid) item and you die, go MIA, perform a Run Through, or abandon the raid (ESC + Disconnect), the item will remain in the Secure Container but lose its FIR status. So if you needed that item with FIR status for a quest, you could sell it, but it would no longer be valid for the quest. With Patch 0.16 also upgrades to the hideout require FIR items . This can be considered an big nerf to Secure Container usefulness. Read more about this and what it changes in terms of gameplay . You can view the various types of Secure Containers and how to obtain them on this EFT Wiki page . Clicking on the different Secure Containers will show the details of what they can hold. While there are slight differences between them, the main items they can't store are those mentioned above. What is worth storing inside? The simplest answer is, "the most valuable things you take into a raid," but here’s a priority list based on online research, and my personal experience: CMS surgical kit  / Surv12 field surgical kit Injectors/ Injector case Keys / Documents Case  / S I C C organizational pouch Painkillers ( Golden Star  / Ibuprofen  / Vaseline ) First aid kits IFAK  / AFAK  / Grizzly CALOK-B hemostatic applicator Aluminum splint Expensive Ammo (priority depends on the ammo’s value). What you can and should bring into the raid inside the Secure Container depends on the container you have (its slot count), your PMC level, your financial situation, and the purpose of the raid. At lower levels, most players prioritize medical items since they are scarce and harder to acquire early on (with low Therapist reputation and the flea market locked). Losing them and repurchasing them after every death can be costly for already limited finances. The downside is that you can’t place healing items on the hotbar, meaning you must open your inventory to use them. To mitigate this, I usually store most healing items in the Secure Container and keep one or two Tourniquets , an AI-2 medkit , and one or two Immobilizing splints  outside for emergencies—unless I have a Grizzly  in the Secure Container, which can also treat fractures. The CMS surgical kit is often the first thing players prioritize because of its importance during raids. Fixing blacked-out limbs is vital, and the kit costs a significant amount at lower levels (and it’s only available via barter with Jaeger until the Flea Market unlocks). Once the Flea Market is accessible and finances improve, priorities shift . With the need to carry raid keys and money for car extracts, players often replace some medical items with a more convenient Documents Case . This case can store keys, money, and items like Intel Folders or SSDs. When available, the S I C C pouch often replaces the Documents Case, as it can also hold dog tags from killed players. Players also prioritize the Injector Case when it becomes available because of its utility in combat, high value, and ability to hold nine injectors while occupying just one slot. At any level, the Secure Container is also great for storing valuable ammo you bring into a raid to reload your magazines. This way, if you die, you’ll only lose the ammo inside the magazines and not the extra rounds. It’s clear that if you find something more valuable or rare during the raid than what you currently have in the Secure Container, you’ll swap lower-value items to make room for it . However, be careful! It’s not uncommon to see videos of players making disastrous mistakes while swapping items. For instance, I once saw someone remove their Documents Case from the Secure Container, get killed right after, and lose their valuable keys and other contents (a moment worthy of tears!). Examples by Secure Container type With an SC Alpha (4 slots), a good choice for early levels could be: CMS (2 slots) IFAK CALOK-B Later on, with an SC Alpha: CMS (2 slots) Injector case Golden Star With an SC Beta (6 slots): CMS (2 slots) Injector case Golden Star Documents case / S I C C organizational pouch A SC Gamma (9 slots) offers much more flexibility. At level 1, it could contain: CMS (2 slots) Grizzly (4 slots) CALOK-B Aluminum splint Ammo At higher levels: Surv12 field surgical kit (3 slots) Injector case Ibuprofen Documents case / S I C C organizational pouch (2 slots) Two stacks of extra ammo, or one stack of ammo and one extra Injector Case for Labs keycards. If you got here from the EFT Tutorial, you can get back using this button:

As Nikita himself stated, EFT isn’t designed to make us have fun but rather to make us suffer through a mechanism that, in the end, actually entertains us or, at the very least, gives us so much satisfaction that it can become a real addiction (this last part about addiction I added it, but it was part of his reasoning). Losing everything in Escape from Tarkov isn’t easy, but it can happen quickly if you approach the game the wrong way or expect it to help you somehow as you’re starting to learn it. If you begin playing without being even slightly prepared and without following any guide or tutorial , it’s possible that, after just a few raids, you’ll have burned through all the equipment and money you were given at the start. This can also happen later on, but it’s much harder, as with a bit of experience and knowledge, making money and accumulating gear becomes relatively easy. What to Do If you’re in this situation, don’t despair . You’ve made things a bit harder for yourself, but all is not lost. Before jumping back into raids, it’s essential to understand EFT’s mechanics better, learn at least one map decently, and improve your combat skills. To do this, I recommend checking out the EFT Tutorial I’ve prepared  and watching some YouTube videos from skilled content creators and streamers like Pestily, for example . In the playlist I linked he does a full walkthrough from level 1 to 15 (the level you unlock the Fela Market at). Once you’ve learnt a bit more, you have two options. First Option: A Fresh Start The first option is the simplest but also the most drastic . It will erase all the progress you’ve made so far. You’ll lose all the experience you’ve gained, as well as any quest progress, and you’ll find yourself with a level 1 PMC and the starting set of gear and money (as if you just installed and launched the game for the first time). All you need to do is log in to the official Escape from Tarkov website , log in, click on “Profile” at the top right, and on the page that opens, select the “Reset the game profile” option. Follow the instructions and choose whether to reset the profile for PvP or PvE. Keep in mind that you’ll lose everything you’ve done so far , except for achievements, which won’t be reset. This is why I only recommend this solution if you truly haven’t achieved anything, haven’t surpassed level 10, and are absolutely desperate . Additionally, resetting your account is a bit of a “shortcut.” If you’re up for the real challenge , the second option aligns better with the spirit of the game. Second Option: Retreat and Recovery After acquiring some knowledge about EFT and doing some offline raids to practice and learn at least one map decently, use your Scav . You have two options: Enter with your Scav and try to extract as quickly as possible to pass the gear to your PMC and raid with that . If you choose this route, I recommend the Factory map (learn it by doing some offline raids so you don’t get lost when entering with your Scav, and so you know the fastest way to the nearest extraction point). This way you can play your PMC, gain exp and try completing some quests. Alternatively, use your Scav to gather valuable items from the map you know best and perhaps find some bodies to scavenge for extra gear, weapons, and ammunition to sell or use with your PMC . This second option, compared to wiping your account, will undoubtedly be more challenging, but it will also help you improve by accumulating experience in the game and gaining knowledge of maps and mechanics, which will benefit you in the future. In any case, hang in there and never, ever, give up!

Given the massive number of items in Escape from Tarkov  that you can loot during raids, the Wishlist feature is an excellent way to keep track of what you need and remember to collect specific items. Previously, there was only one wishlist, but now it’s possible to categorize items in different wishlist categories: Tasks Equipment Hideout Other Barter Right-click on an item to open the menu Items added to the Wishlist have a blue border, and a symbol appears in the lower left corner, indicating the category they belong to. not wishlisted wishlisted When you collect an item on your Wishlist, you’ll receive a notification. In the settings, you can choose to enable or disable these notifications permanently or under certain conditions (Wishlist item notifications: enabled, disabled, in stash only, in raid only). You can also activate the "Auto add to Wishlist" option in the settings for specific categories: Disabled Favorite crafting recipes : Items required for your favorite crafting recipes are automatically added to your Wishlist. Hideout zone upgrade items : Items required for available hideout upgrades are automatically added to your Wishlist. Favorite crafting recipes and Hideout zones : Combines the previous two options, so items needed for both your favorite crafting recipes and available hideout upgrades are added to your Wishlist. Personally, I keep "Wishlist item notifications" set to "Enabled" and "Auto add to Wishlist" on "Favorite crafting recipes and Hideout zones". This way, during raids, I am notified by the interface about items I need to upgrade the hideout or for the crafting recipes I frequently use, whether for raid items or for crafting items to sell for money. However, remember that for pure profit, it’s often better to sell individual ingredients , as their combined value is often higher than the crafted item’s. Crafting is only worthwhile for a few items, usually high-value ones like the Defibrillator or ammunition (be sure to check it since this may vary a lot), or to level up the Crafting  and Hideout Management  skills even if it’s not profitable. Wishlist Limitations Unfortunately, there’s no indicator showing the quantity of an item already in your stash , which would let you know during raids how many units you need. Currently, items remain highlighted until you remove them manually or complete the hideout upgrade they’re required for. You can always sell extra units on the Flea Market, but you might have used that inventory space for other, higher-value items. Another missing Wishlist feature is the ability to choose which Wishlist category to view when accessing the Flea Market. If this were possible, it would be useful to create a "shopping list" to quickly find the items to buy, rather than searching manually one by one.

This is quite a sensitive and widely discussed topic in the Escape from Tarkov community. Unfortunately, no one can deny the existence of the issue and the fact that, in a game like this, cheaters “hurt” more than in others. Getting killed by a cheater in a regular shooter is one thing—at worst, you press a button and respawn at your base. It’s an entirely different matter when a cheater kills you after playing 30 minutes of a raid that had gone perfectly until that moment, and you're loaded with loot. Or when you die two minutes into the raid, instantly losing the kit that took you 10 minutes (or more) to put together in your stash. Plus its value. In an Escape from Tarkov raid, the stakes high. And the most valuable thing you lose—the one that hurts the most when taken by a cheater—is your time. Because when you lose a fight against a fair enemy, it's always said, rightly so, that at least you learn something, which will hopefully help you in the future. Against a cheater, it's just wasted time , frustration and anger. I won’t dwell on how disgraceful it is to stoop so low as to become a cheater in an online game, but I think my choice of words makes it clear what I think. Is it unplayable? No, it’s not. Opinions vary on this, but based on my personal experience —and because I believe that people who say this have likely given the issue more thought than others—I side with those who say the game is absolutely playable. And also very fun. Frustrating, difficult, buggy, flawed… but fun. A lot of fun! Otherwise, I’d have to consider myself crazy for the amount of hours I’ve spent playing it. And even more so those who have reached and surpassed 10,000 hours in the game. So, are there no cheaters? Is it all a lie? Of course, if you argue with what I just said in the previous paragraph, you're often accused of being a “denier.” But I say cheaters exist—absolutely. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced the problem firsthand. However, maybe because I do fewer raids than others, in five years of playing and a few thousand raids, I can say I’ve encountered only a few cheaters— certainly far fewer than some claim . There may have been cheaters in my raids without me knowing or being affected by them—entirely possible—but I’m talking about how many negative experiences I’ve had due to cheaters . Few, negligible, certainly not enough to make me say the game is unplayable. Maybe I’m lucky, maybe I’m on the right servers while others have it worse, but that’s my opinion. So, are people who say it’s unplayable and full of cheaters crazy or lying? I don’t think so. What I do think is: Everyone has different tolerance levels. Some people might take it less dramatically than others, either because of their personality or because they have bigger things in life to worry about. It’s possible (and plausible) that cheaters are indeed more numerous in other parts of the world. Since there’s no kill cam, it’s hard to determine whether someone who killed us was using cheats or simply outplayed us, or was camping in a spot we didn’t know about. Often, especially for less experienced players, you don’t even know where you were shot from because you die instantly. Sometimes, there’s also desync or other bugs. I think it’s quite common for someone to believe they were killed by a cheater when, in reality , that wasn’t the case. All I know is that, in the vast majority of cases, when I analyze how I was killed, the situation, and what I was doing—with the humility to question myself—I realize that what was fatal to me was my own mistake or my opponent’s superior skill or better choices (or luck). Is BSG doing anything to solve the problem? There’s a somewhat conspiratorial theory that Battlestate Games and Nikita not only don’t fight cheaters but actually profit from them because more accounts are sold (since banned players have to buy a new one). Honestly, I don’t have the evidence to rule it out, and I don’t want to be a staunch defender of Buyanov. But what I think is that, most of the time, the simplest explanation is the right one . I think BSG is doing what they can. Could they do more? Could they invest more resources into it? Could they manage the problem better? Probably. Almost certainly. Things can always be improved. And BSG has proven to be fallible—sometimes very fallible. However, I have also seen many situations (especially recently) where it is clear that they are making an effort and listening to the community. I wouldn’t say they are pure evil. But we know that the cheating problem exists in all online games because it’s a business —thouhg it usually is for those who make cheats, not for game developers, who have to spend money, time, and energy to fight them. Nowadays, there are too many spoiled brats with too much money who can rent cheats from a website in two minutes, complete with customer support, just like any other legitimate service (and unfortunately, it is legal—not morally, but by law, since no regulations prohibit it). And those who create cheats take full advantage of this. A game like Escape from Tarkov, which is difficult, frustrating, and probably infuriates many of these spoiled kids who can’t accept being humiliated by better players or even admit to themselves that they made a mistake, is naturally a prime target for those who create and sell cheats to these spineless individuals, making loads of money. My 2 cents Folks, I still have an absolute blast playing Escape from Tarkov , and in the end, that’s what matters. I don’t think I’m crazy or a masochist, so I believe my opinion is rational and reasonable. If I run into a cheater, sure, I get mad and feel bad. I rage quit. I’m not made of stone. But then I move on, and more importantly, I realize it’s worth it, because no other game gives me the same emotions and satisfaction that Escape from Tarkov does.