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In Escape from Tarkov, weapon malfunctions add an extra layer of realism and challenge to combat. These malfunctions can strike at the worst possible moment, making knowledge of their causes, fixes, and prevention crucial for survival. This article covers the different types of malfunctions, when they occur, how to fix them, and the benefits of the Troubleshooting skill. Weapon malfunctions happen due to poor weapon condition or improper handling. A gun with low durability is more prone to failure , and overheating from excessive firing can also lead to jams and other issues. Understanding these risks is key to preventing malfunctions before they occur. Weapon malfunctions in Escape from Tarkov  are caused by two main factors: Low durability Overheating Mechanical Malfunctions First of all remember that mechanical malfunctions do not occur in weapons with a durability of greater than 93% . These issues stem from the technical condition of the weapon and can occur under various circumstances: Misfires  – When the trigger is pulled, but the weapon fails to fire, often due to worn-out components. Failure to Eject  – The spent cartridge fails to exit the ejection port, potentially caused by poor weapon condition or overheating. Failure to Feed  – The weapon fails to load a new round into the chamber, commonly caused by faulty magazines (especially high-capacity and drum mags), overheating, or a damaged weapon. Jammed Bolt  – The bolt becomes stuck after firing. This can be either a normal  or hard  jam, with the latter taking longer to fix. Bolt jams result from overheating or extremely low weapon durability (5% or lower). Overheating Weapons heat up with each shot , and sustained fire accelerates the process . The heating rate for each shot depends on components of the weapon such as the cartridge, barrel and other (receivers, muzzle devices, handguards, etc.). The extent of overheating can be assessed by observing the visual condition of the barrel and muzzle devices. Different levels of overheating introduce different performance penalties. Slight Overheating  – The weapon becomes heated but shows no visible changes (no reddening of the barrel and muzzle devices). Effects: heated parts are visible in thermal scopes and possible mirage (heat haze) effects from the barrel and muzzle device. Medium Overheating  – The barrel and muzzle devices start glowing red. Effects: decreased accuracy, increased malfunction risk, higher durability wear, and a reduction in maximum durability. Severe Overheating  – The barrel and muzzle devices are sizzling hot. Effects: rate of fire changes and potential for cooking off  (rounds firing unintentionally due to heat). Maximum Overheating  – At this point, a malfunction occurs: the bolt gets jammed, requiring immediate troubleshooting. To manage overheating, allow the weapon to cool down between bursts and use attachments that improve heat dissipation. How to Fix Weapon Malfunctions When a malfunction happens, a red flashing appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen along with a notification message (the latter needs to be activated in the game settings). To identify the issue, players must inspect their weapon by pressing the Inspect Weapon  key. This will reveal the exact nature of the malfunction and the necessary steps to clear it. Once a malfunction is identified, players can clear it using the Fix Malfunction  key. Different malfunctions take varying amounts of time to resolve, depending on the issue and the player’s Troubleshooting  skill level. IMPORTANT : don't forget to use the method explained in the Keybinds Guide , here on The Tarkov Central, which will allow you to use the same key  both to inspect the malfunctioning weapon and identify the issue, as well as to fix the malfunction. Secondary weapon switch speed boost If the malfunction occurs in the middle of a firefight and a secondary weapon is available, players receive a 5-second weapon swap speed boost , letting you switch quickly and stay in the fight. This boost is indicated by the blue background  that appears in the sidearm slot on the quickbar (see the image below). The Troubleshooting Skill: A Lifesaver in Combat The Troubleshooting  skill improves a player's ability to diagnose and fix weapon malfunctions efficiently. Here’s what it offers: Faster troubleshooting  – Increases troubleshooting speed by 0.5% per level, up to a 25% speed boost at Elite Level. Elite Level Perks: No need to inspect the weapon before troubleshooting malfunctions. After fixing a malfunction caused by a specific issue (e.g., faulty magazine, low durability, or bad ammo), the chance of another malfunction from the same source is reduced by 50% . This skill is invaluable for players who frequently engage in prolonged firefights or use worn-down weapons. To level it up you need to fix weapons malfunctions: 1.58 points for each malfunction fix, with diminishing gains after the first troubleshooting per raid. Exceptions! There are some guns in Escape from Tarkov that never malfunction: Degtyarev RPD 7.62x39 machine gun Degtyarev RPDN 7.62x39 machine gun U.S. Ordnance M60E6 7.62x51 light machine gun U.S. Ordnance M60E4 7.62x51 light machine gun MPS Auto Assault-12 Gen 1 12ga automatic shotgun MPS Auto Assault-12 Gen 2 12ga automatic shotgun IWI UZI 9x19 submachine gun RSh-12 12.7x55 revolver Chiappa Rhino 50DS .357 revolver Chiappa Rhino 200DS 9x19 revolver MTs-255-12 12ga shotgun PPSh-41 7.62x25 submachine gun This is important information to keep in mind both for the maintenance of these weapons and as a possible strategy against the boss Kollontay , who, as we know, has an ability that causes the weapon we are using to malfunction. Kollontay ability does not work with the weapons listed here! There's Another Low Durability Effect Since malfunctions  were introduced, almost no one talks about the other effect caused by low weapon durability. This is because most players replace their weapons before reaching the 93%  threshold to avoid malfunctions—and indeed, before that point, the other effect is minimal. But if you use weapons that never jam  (see the above list), you can push the durability much lower without worrying about malfunctions.And here’s where it becomes important to know about the other effect of low durability: the lower the durability, the worse the weapon's accuracy gets . And the drop in accuracy isn't the same for all weapons. The impact on accuracy also depends on the weapon’s MOA (Minute of Angle). The higher the MOA , the more accuracy suffers as durability decreases. So, if you decide to squeeze every last bit out of your "no jam" weapons, watch your aim —you might find yourself missing shots  you would normally land. Want to dive deeper? There’s a video by content creator Sir Hans Vader English  that explains all this (including the concept of MOA) very well. It’s a bit old (3 years ago) and some details have changed (for example, malfunctions used to happen even at 100% durability, but that was fixed in a later patch), yet the demonstration of accuracy loss remains valid . My Take I usually try to solve the malfunction problem at its root by avoiding the use of weapons with less than 93% durability. This means I don't bring weapons into a raid if they have less than 95-96% durability, considering that during the raid, shooting will reduce it, and I want to prevent it from dropping below 93%. When using particularly expensive kits, I usually enter a raid with no less than 99% durability . Regarding PvE mode, you generally fire much more than in PvP due to the difference in the number of encounters. In PvP, players tend to be more cautious and conservative in their playstyle, using stealth and avoiding firefights more often. In contrast, in PvE, it's easier to encounter both AI PMCs and AI Scavs, leading to a more aggressive playstyle. This makes it much easier for weapon durability to drop to low levels. For this reason, I almost always enter a PvE raid with a sidearm or secondary weapon to switch to in case of malfunctions—usually my trusty FN Five-seveN MK2 5.7x28 pistol loaded with 5.7x28mm SS190 ammo. UPDATE 28/04/25: Recent patches have reduced the number of Scavs you encounter in PvE, so bringing a sidearm into raids has become less essential . But I still carry one as a precaution —in case I get a malfunction, or simply to reduce the durability burn on my main weapon (Plus, let’s be honest, it just feels cool to switch weapons for less armored targets like Scavs). Since I found out that the UZI never malfunctions , it’s become my favorite secondary . I know it will always work , no matter what. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov !  Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Escape from Tarkov  is an extremely complex game that is difficult to fully master. As explained in more detail in the EFT Tutorial I published here on The Tarkov Central , even just getting started requires some prior knowledge of the game mechanics, maps, and other aspects—things that, if you don’t learn, will prevent you from being successful. Once you’ve done that, you can start going on raids. However, keep in mind that many experienced players often say (and I agree) that the first 500–1000 hours of EFT are basically the game’s tutorial . In other words, with that amount of time, you will likely learn how to handle combat reasonably well, become familiar with at least some of the maps, gain a solid understanding of the game’s mechanics, and figure out what you want to do—and how you want to do it—whether in terms of playstyle or overall goals in Tarkov. All of this is to say that EFT requires a certain level of time and commitment ; it is not a casual game that you can just boot up for a quick 30-minute session and then forget about until your next chance to play. This is also because EFT requires preparation before a raid, such as gearing up your character and managing your loot (selling, organizing your stash), on top of the raid itself, which typically lasts 20–30 minutes. That said, if you’re truly committed, interested in this type of game, and willing to take on the challenge, I believe you can still enjoy EFT even if you have limited time to play . I say this because I also don’t have endless hours to spend on the game and can’t keep up with the players who “no-life” it all day. Of course, this also depends on how quickly you learn, your general FPS skills, and how well you navigate maps. For example, I recently read about someone who only plays on weekends (though likely for several hours) and still managed to achieve great results. It’s clear that if you can only dedicate a few hours per week to EFT, becoming unbeatable will be difficult. However, keep in mind that this is a game with virtually infinite replayability—there is always a reason to go on a raid, whether it’s to complete a quest, find a necessary item, explore, or hunt down other players in PVP. Some players have thousands of hours in the game, with a few exceeding 10,000 hours. And they’re not crazy—it’s just that EFT offers a truly unique experience that no other game can replicate (and some have been playing it for over eight years). Combat When it comes to fighting other players, many believe that having limited playtime makes it impossible to compete against those who grind the game for hours every day. After all, they have better gear, weapons, and ammo. While it’s true that frequent players have that advantage, Tarkov is also a game where knowledge, cunning, and patience matter just as much . You can acquire game knowledge, map awareness, and strategic “tricks” even if you only play a few hours a week. It will take longer, but it’s achievable. Cunning and patience, on the other hand, have nothing to do with playtime and can make a massive difference in EFT. The only remaining factor is raw in-game skill. Naturally, those who practice daily for hours will have superior mechanics, but by accumulating playtime, you can still reach a good level and remain competitive . And when you manage to take down high-level, well-equipped enemies while being less experienced and under-equipped yourself, the satisfaction is indescribable. PVE Of course, there’s always the PVE option. While still being quite challenging, especially for newcomers, this is a more relaxed version of the game , as AI enemies are generally more predictable than real players, making them easier to defeat. Additionally, there are no wipes in PVE, so you can progress at your own pace without any rush. PVE is also a great way to learn and improve before diving into PVP combat. To read more about PVE and how it compares to PVP, check out this chapter of the tutorial on The Tarkov Central . EFT Tutorial If you don’t have much time to play but still want to learn efficiently, minimize frustration, and see results faster, I strongly recommend reading and following the EFT Tutorial  I prepared . I’m not the God of Tarkov , but I’ve used my experience in EFT—along with the methods I personally used to learn—to create a structured approach to raiding. This tutorial will help you avoid the mistakes I made and skip much of the trial-and-error phase that I had to go through. Check it out!

This is quite a tricky question to answer because it depends on several factors: Your computer's specs How you are used to playing The game's lack of optimization Your computer's specs Obviously, this is the most significant factor in the answer. Currently, EFT is poorly optimized (to put it mildly), meaning that even those with good or excellent PCs don’t get the performance they would normally expect from better-optimized games. One clear indicator of this issue is that players with powerful PCs notice that, despite not getting the expected performance, their CPU and GPU are only utilized at 30-50-60%. This means that t he game cannot fully leverage the computer’s hardware and therefore demands more power than it should. It’s a bit like an engine that hasn’t been properly tuned, consuming more fuel than necessary. Also, keep in mind that, aside from poor optimization, EFT is a very complex game that requires a powerful CPU . So, if you're considering gradually upgrading your PC for EFT (like I did), I recommend starting with the CPU (unless your GPU is truly underpowered). Everyone currently says that AMD’s latest x3D series CPUs offer the best performance. What do you need to play well? This brings us to the second factor: how you are used to playing. To give you an idea, I started playing EFT around early 2020, and at that time, I had an AMD 3600, 16 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GTX 1650. EFT ran decently—I could raid on all maps with FPS ranging from 30 to 60. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt playable . Then, in 2023, I finally made the upgrade I had been dreaming of and switched to an AMD 5800x3D, 64 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 3080Ti. A completely different experience. Seeing my FPS surpass 100 and even reach 200 was quite a thrill! I can tell you that since upgrading, not only do I enjoy playing more, but I also play much better: I move more smoothly because everything is more fluid, I aim better, and I win more gunfights . So, it's not just a matter of aesthetics and game feel but also a practical one— better performance leads to better results, more fun, and greater satisfaction . Even better now that I have activated the new DLSS 4, which has greatly improved image quality and given me even more fluidity . Requirements increase over time Also, consider that the requirements to play EFT well are increasing over time as BSG updates the graphics, textures, effects, and releases larger and more complex maps. I believe that today, with the specs I had two years ago, the game would run much worse than it did back then (especially since this wipe has further messed up optimization, but hopefully, it’s just a temporary issue… fingers crossed!). So, what’s the verdict? As I mentioned, keep in mind that the game is poorly optimized, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if other games run great on your PC, EFT will too. To get an idea, compare your setup with mine. Keep in mind that I haven’t spent a lot of time optimizing everything, so it’s possible that with my specs, you could achieve even better performance. Personally, after upgrading and seeing the difference, I’d say that my specs are the minimum required to play EFT well . They provide a good experience and allow for competitive PvP gameplay. IMPORTANT: If you want to play in PvE , remember that since the game runs locally, you will need more processing power than when playing only PvP, especially in terms of CPU. I can play PvE quite well, with FPS ranging from 70 to 160.

During the latest TarkovTV Live, Nikita Buyanov, CEO of Battlestate Games, accompanied by his irreplaceable streaming companion Damirka, unveiled all the plans for Escape from Tarkov and Tarkov Arena for 2025. The atmosphere was typical of BSG’s livestreams: informal, humorous, but packed with content. The Year of the Final Release The long-awaited news arrived immediately: Escape from Tarkov is planned for an official release in 2025 . While the exact date is not yet confirmed, Nikita stated that it will be revealed before the end of the second quarter of the year . The goal? To deliver a complete, polished, and stable game, ready to solidify its position as the king of extraction shooters. Between jokes about the release date ("Literally, yeah, we could do it for 2028, and that will be the actual Russia 2028 project"), Nikita reaffirmed the team's focus on two key areas: optimization and bug fixing. The team has already begun intensive work, with hundreds of bugs resolved since the start of the year , and this trend will continue up to the launch. Future Release Plans: Steam and Beyond In addition to confirming the release year, Nikita also addressed future distribution plans for Escape from Tarkov. While Arena's release on Steam is certain —"There will be definitely a release of Arena in Steam, 100%"—he mentioned that EFT's release on Steam will happen "someday". In a playful tone, he joked that before arriving on Steam, "we will release EFT on Gameboy". 2025 Roadmap: Four Major Patches The 2025 roadmap includes four major patches before the release, each with specific technical and content improvement goals: Patch 0.16.6 (End of April 2025) Quality of life improvements and bug fixes, many of which are based on feedback from the community via the Tarkov.Community platform. Optimization of Lighthouse and the return of graphical details previously removed from Customs. Introduction of an event featuring R-Shage 2, available in both PvP and PvE. This patch marks the beginning of a series of updates dedicated to stabilizing performance across various maps to provide a smoother gameplay experience. Patch 0.16.7 (June 2025) Optimization of the Reserve map. Update to the audio system, improving sound propagation at short distances, occlusion, reverberation, and environmental reflections. Nikita showcased a preview of this system, explaining that it will be dynamic and provide more realistic audio while maintaining stable framerates. Second package of quality of life improvements, including: Quick purchase of materials for crafts. Automatic currency exchange for purchases. Notifications for insurance expirations. Alerts for quest items in the inventory. Ability to pin favorite quests. Patch 0.16.8 (July 2025) A major lore event, which Nikita compared to the celebrated Minotaur/Labyrinth event, highly appreciated by the community. Optimization of the Shoreline map. Further QoL improvements based on community suggestions. Patch 0.16.9 (August 2025) Another large-scale gameplay event. Optimization of Interchange, with a possible expansion. Third package of QoL improvements. Regarding Streets of Tarkov, Nikita humorously described it as “an unoptimizable map,” though he reassured players that the team is working to improve its performance. Strengthened Collaboration: Tarkov.Community Another key point of the livestream was the strengthened collaboration with the community through Tarkov.Community , the platform where players can: Report bugs. Vote on development priorities. Propose ideas for future updates. Nikita described 2025 as a large-scale collaborative project between developers and players , with the goal of making EFT a stable and polished game in preparation for the release. New Animations for AK and M4 Among the updates, new animations for AK and M4 were showcased, with particular attention to the AKs, whose original animations were among the oldest in the game. This update also includes changes to the AK customization system, allowing for more realistic and detailed configurations. The Prestige System: News for PvP and PvE The Prestige system, so far exclusive to PvP, will continue to expand with new cosmetic rewards, including: Prestige dog tags. Exclusive hideout materials (customizable walls, floors, ceilings). Special skins and clothing items. Nikita clarified that the Prestige system is currently exclusive to PvP and will remain so for the foreseeable future. However, he did not rule out completely the possibility of bringing Prestige to PvE . He suggested that a separate or additional prestige system for PvE could be considered later, depending on player feedback and development priorities. Sneak Peek: Terminal and Final Missions One of the most anticipated moments of the livestream was the teaser for the new Terminal map, where the final storyline missions will take place. Nikita confirmed that this is the map where players will finally have the opportunity to escape from Tarkov . Some cutscene frames were also shown, hinting at the narrative conclusion. Tarkov Arena: Growth, Battle Pass, and New Features Tarkov Arena also received attention, with several updates: The free Battle Pass was launched with patch 0.3.0 in April 2025. Arena is now available on the Epic Games Store, and release on Steam is confirmed for the future. Upcoming features include: Netcode and hit registration improvements. Synchronization between Arena and PvE (tasks, rewards, item transfers). New Resort map for Checkpoint and Blast Gang modes. Introduction of Molotovs and new smoke grenades. Match history and player profile viewing. During the event, Nikita mentioned the ongoing Arena Cup Series, a tournament with a prize pool of 25,000 euros, and joked that many viewers were only there for the promotional codes. Final Outlook: A Future Full of News The TarkovTV Live confirmed that Escape from Tarkov is finally entering its concluding phase. 2025 will be the year of the official release but also the year of maximum collaboration with the community to refine every detail . Nikita closed with a message full of pride and passion for the project , emphasizing that EFT has given birth to the entire extraction shooter genre, and that the BSG team will continue to improve it even after the release . You can watch the latest TarkovTV episode on the Battlestate Twitch channel, or right here on the Tarkov.Community YouTube channel . ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

The world of Escape from Tarkov never stands still. With each patch, the game evolves—bringing new mechanics, shifting the meta, and keeping even the most seasoned PMCs on their toes. Whether you’ve been out of the loop for a few months or you’re just curious about how Tarkov looks today, this report pulls together the major changes from patch 0.15.0 up to now. Escape from Tarkov has undergone significant transformation from patch 0.15.0 (August 20, 2024) to the present. Given the sheer number of updates and adjustments, I thought it would be useful to compile this report summarizing the main changes up to today. The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview, both to take stock of the current state of the game and to help those who may have stepped away for a while and fallen behind on the latest developments . I've done my best to include everything important, though it's possible that a few minor details might have slipped through the cracks (and if they have, feel free to let me know in the comments). Gameplay Systems Karma System:  Introduced in patch 0.15.0, this hidden reputation system rewards or punishes players based on their actions. It influences AI interactions (e.g., boss Partisan hunts low-karma players) and includes audio cues when karma changes. Map-to-Map Travel:  A revolutionary mechanic lets players travel between maps within a single raid. Triggered via special zones after a short delay, the system allows limited item transfers to the stash mid-raid, with various transitions available between key maps. Ground Zero Matchmaking:  New and lower-level players (under level 20) are matched in separate beginner-friendly Ground Zero instances, while high-level players access more dangerous versions with stronger AI. Tripwires:  Players can now deploy grenade tripwires as traps. These trigger by movement, gunfire, or explosions and require a multitool for safe disarming. After some time, tripwires disarm automatically if unused. Weapon Mounting and Bipods:  Weapons can now be mounted on surfaces or deployed on bipods to reduce recoil and stamina drain. This introduces a more tactical approach to firefights, especially for long-range engagements. Continuous Healing:  Medical items can now automatically heal all damaged body parts and stop bleeds in sequence with a single command. This streamlines the healing process and reduces micromanagement during combat. Hidden Extractions:  Certain maps now have hidden exfil points that are unlocked with special in-raid items. These are invisible until triggered, and accessible to all nearby players once activated. Prestige System:  High-level players (level 55+) can reset their profile for permanent rewards like hideout cosmetics, daily task slots, and skill bonuses. Prestige levels persist between wipes. Map and Location Changes Factory Rework:  A complete overhaul of the Factory map modernized its layout and visuals, added new routes and extraction points, and introduced unique quests. Customs Map Updates:  New interiors and points of interest were added, alongside transparency improvements and explosive hazards. A transit link to Shoreline was also introduced. Seasonal Visuals:  Winter effects, snow accumulation, and themed map versions were introduced, adding environmental variety. Event-Specific Modes:  Events like Khorovod and Labyrinth temporarily introduced new objectives and map variants, along with unique visual effects and mechanics. Economy and Trader Changes Ammo and Currency Rebalance:  High-penetration ammo (pen > 42) is no longer tradable on the Flea Market. All ammo and currency items no longer carry Found-in-Raid (FiR) status, simplifying loot handling. Class 6 Armor Removal:  All Class 6 gear and plates were removed from trader inventories. Mid-tier armors are available via barters. Flea Market Restrictions:  Flea Market listings were locked for two weeks after wipes to slow early-game progression. Ref Trader and Arena Integration:  Ref acts as a high-tier trader using GP coins for exclusive gear and services. Some Arena progression and rewards are tied to this trader. Hideout Upgrade Requirements:  FiR status is now mandatory for hideout construction items (excluding currency), reinforcing the value of looting and crafting. Skill and Progression Updates Hitbox Tweaks:  The neck hitbox was merged into the thorax, reducing instant-kill headshots from that zone. Charisma Skill Use:  Charisma now reduces fees for Arena transfers and adds minor advantages for prestiging. Achievements:  New achievements were added, often rewarding cosmetics or Hideout themes. Older quests tied to cosmetics were removed and replaced with achievement-based rewards. Fence Reputation Bonuses:  High Fence rep now improves player-Scav gear loadouts, incentivizing friendly behavior. Weapons and Combat Systems New Weapons:  Many new firearms were introduced, including the UZI family, Desert Eagle pistols, SR-3M, M60 machine guns, TRG M10 sniper, Velociraptor AR, SCAR-H X17, and the Saiga-12K. New melee weapons and throwables were also added. Recoil Overhaul:  A complete visual and functional recoil rework made gunfire more realistic and manageable, especially in automatic fire. Vertical and horizontal kick now better simulate real weapon behavior. Grenade Mechanics Update:  Explosion damage now considers cover and line of sight, making hiding from grenades more effective. Underbarrel Grenade AI Usage:  AI enemies now effectively use grenade launchers. Player weapons retain the same mechanics but now face this added PvE challenge. Animation and Audio:  Improved syncing between first- and third-person animations, enhanced reloads, throw animations, and refined footstep audio. AI and Enemy Behavior New Boss – Partisan:  A stealth-focused, trap-laying boss who hunts low-karma players. Operates solo and dynamically sets ambushes. Smarter AI Tactics:  AI now flanks, uses suppressive fire, and switches fire modes based on range. They also communicate between units when spotting players. Visibility and Cover:  AI vision is now affected by vegetation and obstacles, making forest raids more realistic. Spawn Adjustments:  Bosses have a unified 30% spawn rate. Cultist appearances were increased. Player-Scavs now spawn later to reduce early chaos. AI Equipment:  Bot weapons now have better durability. High Fence rep increases friendly Scav gear quality. Bug Fixes:  Numerous AI issues, including visibility bugs, spawn logic, and erratic fire mode toggling, were addressed. Quest System and Story Progression New Questlines:  Major new quest arcs such as the BTR storyline were introduced, offering new locations, events, and achievements. Event Quests:  Time-limited quests tied to seasonal and narrative events were added and then retired post-event. Quest Simplifications:  Several existing quests were simplified or rebalanced, and Gunsmith tasks were corrected. Media Integration:  In-game events now align with external Tarkov media and lore expansions. Hideout and Crafting New Zones:  Two new zones – Gear Rack and Cultist Circle – were added. The Gear Rack enables preset loadouts; the Cultist Circle allows item sacrifices for loot. Hideout Customization:  Players can decorate the Hideout’s floors, walls, and ceilings with themes unlocked via achievements or prestige. Posters and collectibles can be displayed. Crafting Expansions:  New recipes for ammo, meds, and components were added. FiR status is now required for materials. Hideout Social Features:  Players can now visit friends’ Hideouts to use gyms and shooting ranges. Technical and Performance Enhancements Engine Upgrade:  The game moved to Unity 2022.3, allowing for improved visuals, stability, and a new audio system. Audio Overhaul:  Realistic occlusion and reverb were introduced. Environmental awareness via sound is significantly improved. Anti-Cheat Improvements:  Backend updates improved cheat detection and player security. Performance Optimizations:  Reduced RAM usage, optimized shadows, and improved FPS stability, especially on Customs and Streets. Additionally, the implementation of Nvidia's latest generation of DLSS brought significant improvements to performance and video quality for Nvidia graphics card owners, offering superior image sharpness and fluidity compared to traditional TAA Anti-aliasing. User Interface Enhancements:  New inventory prioritization, raid filters, hotkey streamlining, dogtag customization, and improved error handling were added. Final Thoughts I have to admit, reviewing all these changes together really puts things into perspective . The evolution of Escape from Tarkov  over the last year has been nothing short of remarkable—some updates subtle, others game-changing. It’s fascinating to see how far the game has come. Of course, despite my best efforts, I might have overlooked a detail or two. If there’s something you think deserves a mention, or if you have any thoughts, feedback, or suggestions, don’t hesitate to drop them in the comments. Let’s keep the conversation going! ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Struggling to make consistent money in Tarkov? Flea market flipping can help you earn significant profits by making smart buys from Traders. Learn how to maximize your income with minimal effort and risk! Since the "Found in Raid" requirement was removed for all items on the flea market, making money in Tarkov has become easier than ever . Here, I'll share a strategy for buying items from Traders and flipping them for profit on the flea market—including a miraculous trick to multiply dollars! (no exploits, bugs or cheats involved). The strategy involves purchasing items from Traders at lower prices and selling them for profit on the flea market. This works best if your Traders are at least level three , as higher-level Traders offer more profitable items. Focus on ammunition and high-value items like cases to maximize returns. Here’s how to make it work: Prapor: Ammunition for Profit Prapor is a great starting point, particularly for ammunition. One example is 7.62x39mm PS gzh ammo , which can be bought from Prapor at level 3 (after completing The Punisher - Part 1 quest) for 262 rubles per round and sold on the flea market for over 300 rubles per round. Prices fluctuate, so you could hold your ammo until prices peak—for example, 360 rubles per round—or stick with a steady sell-as-you-buy approach. Another option is 5.45x39mm BT gs ammo (Prapor LL4), which can be bought from for 589 rubles per round and typically sells for around 675 on the flea market. Similarly, 7.62x39mm PP gzh ammo (Prapor LL4) can be bought for 774 rubles and sold for around 1,000. Whether you’re patient or prefer quick sales, these margins make consistent profit possible. Therapist: Money Cases and Lab Access Cards Therapist is another excellent source for profits. TerraGroup Labs access keycard (Therapist LL4) can be bought for 166,000 rubles and sold for around 190,000 rubles. Money Cases (Therapist LL4) can also be quite profitable: you’ll spend 400,000–500,000 rubles on barter items and typically sell the case for around 700,000 rubles. Peacekeeper: The Miracle of Dollar Multiplication Now for the "Miracle of Dollar Multiplication." With Peacekeeper, certain ammo types are listed at rounded values that don’t reflect their true cost. For example, 5.56x45mm M855 ammo (Peacekeeper LL3) is listed at $2 per round, but the actual cost is about $1.53 per round. Buying the full limit of 1,200 rounds will cost you $1,836, not $2,400. You can then sell it back on the flea market for $2 per round, which appears to be the same price as Peacekeeper’s listing, but effectively turns $1,836 into $2,400 every time the Trader resets. The same applies to .45 ACP Match FMJ ammo (Peacekeeper LL2). Though listed at $1 per round, the true cost is $0.80. Buy the full limit 1,200 rounds for $960, then sell them at $1 per round for a profit of $240 each restock. Another good flip is with the 9x19mm AP 6.3 ammo (Peacekeeper LL3), which is listed at $2 per round. However, you can buy the maximum amount of 252 rounds for just $429, meaning the true cost per round is approximately $1.70. You can then sell it for over 400 rubles per round, turning $429 (64,350 RUB) into more than 100k rubles ($672) per restock cycle. Other Traders: Specific Picks for Quick Flips Skier : Skier offers the 300 Blackout BCP FMJ and AGS pistol grips. Buy these grips for 16,445 rubles and sell for over 20,000—sometimes as high as 30,000. Jaeger : Flechette ammo still sells decently, though not as well as during the last wipe. How Much Can You Make? Flipping might require some patience, and it won’t make you rich overnight. While it may not match the profits of a successful scav raid, it’s a consistent, low-effort, low-risk income source (and you can do it while studying or working at your PC, like I do when working on tasks that don’t require intense focus). Level up your Traders, watch market fluctuations, and keep flipping— you’ll be surprised how quickly it all adds up. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

The new wipe in Escape from Tarkov (EFT) has introduced a new trap for players. The way transit points work isn't straightforward and hasn't been properly explained. Let's see how they function and the issues they can cause for first-time users. In Patch 0.15, "Marathon Mode" was introduced, allowing players to move from one map to another . Now, with Patch 0.15.2.0, you can transition between maps during any raid without activating Marathon Mode (which is no longer available). However, the exact mechanics of these transit points haven't been clearly explained, leading to confusion among many players . For example, a Reddit user recently posted a screenshot asking why all his extraction points were red , thus unavailable, making it impossible for him to extract from the map he was on (like in the screenshot above). What Happened? Here's how the transit point works: Activation Prompt : When you enter the area where a transit point can be activated, an "Interact" prompt appears on your screen. Starting the Transition : Pressing the interaction key (default is F ) initiates the transition phase. Item Transfer Interface : An interface appears, allowing you to transfer items (both FIR and non FIR items) to your stash. You'll need to pay a fee that depends on the number of items you transfer. This is similar to interacting with the BTR on the Woods or Streets of Tarkov maps. IMPORTANT: if you cancel this action, you can't go back to it in any way . The transit countdown starts immediately. Even if you leave the transit area and get back in it, you won't get the item transfer interface again. Countdown Begins : After clicking "Deliver" to transfer items (or "Cancel" if you choose not to transfer anything), a 30-second countdown starts. At the end of the countdown, you're moved to the next map. Transition to the other map : After the usual queuing and loading screens, you will spawn in. Note: that if you had any blacked limb it will be restored and you will only need to heal it. If you had already fixed it using a surgical kit it will still be restored and you will only need to heal it. You will have to heal it even if you fixed it because when you use the surgical kit you restore the limb only partially and it will only have part of the initial HP pool. After transitioning, the limb's full HP pool will be restored, but you will have to restore the missing HPs. Consequences of interacting with the transit point No Return : Once the countdown has started, you can't go back to the item transfer screen, even if you leave the transit area and go back in. Extraction Points Unavailable : You can leave the transit area to continue exploring, looting, or fighting on your current map. However, all extraction points become unavailable , so you can't exit the raid through them. You can only transit to another map. Other Transit Points Remain Active : If the map has multiple transit points to different maps, you can still use the other transit points to go to those maps. Restarting the Countdown : Returning to the transit area will start a new 30-second countdown, after which you'll transition to the next map. The "Trap" The trap arises when players accidentally interact with the transit point, which is what happened to the Reddit user I mentioned earlier. Once you do this, there's no way to reverse it , all extraction points become unavailable and the only options left are to either transit to the next map from the transit point you interacted with, or to transit to another map via a different transit point , in case the map you are in has more than one available. This is particularly risky on maps like Shoreline , where the transit point area for Lighthouse  partially overlaps with the extraction point called "Path to Lighthouse."  While it might seem logical for these areas to overlap, it can cause confusion and unintended interactions in the game. The Moral of the Story While I hope that BSG will change how the interaction with transit points works— allowing us to abort a transit to avoid mistakes and modify the items we've selected to transfer to our stash—for now, be cautious about what you interact with in the game. Happy exploring, and safe transitions to all! ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

At TwitchCon San Diego 2024, gaming enthusiasts gathered to hear from Nikita Buyanov, the founder and lead developer of Battlestate Games, the studio behind the hardcore first-person shooter Escape from Tarkov (EFT). In an engaging interview, Nikita shared insights into the game's development , future plans , and his philosophy on game design . At TwitchCon San Diego 2024 , Nikita Buyanov , the head of Battlestate Games , took the stage to provide candid insights into the current state and future of Escape from Tarkov (EFT) . In a revealing interview, Nikita addressed pressing topics from the community, ranging from the game's economy and hardcore philosophy to long-term development plans and community engagement. He openly discussed the challenges faced during the game's development, acknowledging longstanding issues and expressing a commitment to making EFT even more hardcore. Notably, Nikita emphasized that EFT is not meant to be a "fun" game in the traditional sense but is designed to provide a challenging and intense experience. He also shared his vision for the game's future, including plans to support and develop EFT for at least another ten years. The interview shed light on several key areas: Game Economy and Progression:  Plans to slow down player progression in future wipes to align with the game's hardcore roots. Hardcore Gameplay Philosophy:  A reaffirmation of the game's challenging nature and the intention to make it even more demanding. Future Content and Endgame:  Introduction of a Prestige system  and the focus on comprehensive storyline quests . Community Events:  The possibility of hosting a dedicated TarkovCon  to bring the vast community together. Long-Term Support:  Commitment to ongoing development, updates, and community engagement over the next decade. Below is a detailed summary of the main points discussed during the interview. A Decade of Development and a Vision for the Future Nikita began by reflecting on the significant milestone of ten years of development  on EFT and outlined his vision for the game's future, committing to at least another ten years  of support and growth. Ongoing Commitment:  Emphasized continuous development, including new content, updates, and expansions. "It's almost ten years of Escape from Tarkov... The game will be here for a long time, at least for ten years."   Community Appreciation:  Credited the passionate player base for their role in the game's longevity. "It's a miracle, not only by ourselves but for you guys, the players, and all of these engaged people who are into this Escape from Tarkov miracle." State of the Game and Economy Addressing the game's economy and player progression, Nikita acknowledged that recent updates have accelerated progression more than intended. Future Adjustments:  Plans to slow down progression  in upcoming wipes to return to a more hardcore experience. Stating that in the current wipe it is indubitably too fast. Dynamic Changes:  Each wipe will continue to introduce new experiences and balance adjustments. Each wipe is like an experiment and it's OK that this one had such a fast progression. They should be all different, so the player experience varies and they can try out different settings. The Hardcore Philosophy of EFT Nikita delved into his vision of EFT as a hardcore game, not intended to be "fun" in the conventional sense . Challenge Over Fun:  The game is designed to be difficult, providing a sense of accomplishment through overcoming hardships. "I'm a fan of the game being hard on you... EFT is not a fun game. It's not for your pleasure; it's just the pain in the ass, basically, and it's okay because you will receive that emotion when you finally complete, when you finally win the raid." Development Challenges:  He also mentioned that creating the game is a tough process, filled with obstacles and hardships, which he believes adds meaning to the work (making a parallel with how the pain players feel playing EFT add meaning to the game). "The development of EFT is not a fun development... everything is surrounded by suffering, and it's kind of okay... it allows us to understand that what we're doing is important." Desire for More Difficulty:  Expressed a preference for the game to be even more difficult and hardcore, aligning with his original vision. "I was always a fan of hardcore type of game... the initial concept was about actual struggling... I was always a fan of that, so it's like hardcore type of thing."   Balancing Accessibility:  Recognized the need to balance the game's difficulty to accommodate a broader audience without compromising its core challenge. "Due to the expansion of the game... it was too hard for them to actually understand and play the game, so we decided to make the game not super hardcore, like mid-core or something." Future Direction: Storyline Quests and Endgame Content Nikita discussed the ongoing development of storyline quests  and the goal to "finally escape from Tarkov." Endgame Focus:  Adding content centered around raids and comprehensive quests. Prestige System:  Introducing a system that allows players to restart the game with new challenges and rewards. "The most important thing we're doing is the endgame content—storyline quest preparation for release... you will experience that, and yeah, that's the most important thing." The Flea Market Debate BSG boss touched on the controversial topic of the Flea Market  and its impact on gameplay. Potential Changes:  Possibly making the Flea Market optional in a hardcore mode . Personal View:  Believes the Flea Market may disrupt the game's intended progression. "I personally don't like the Flea Market... We will think about it in the future." Long-Term Support and New Projects Buyanov reiterated commitment to EFT's development and hinted at new projects. Continuous Updates:  Plans for additional content and support for at least another decade. New Game Development:  Mentioned that a new game is in the pre-production phase. "The game will not end with the release... there will be DLCs and stuff... The game will be here for a long time, at least for ten years." Modding Support and PVE Enhancements Nikita acknowledged the popularity of PVE modes and the desire for mod support. Official Modding Tools:  Plans to introduce tools to allow creators to develop mods for PVE. "I like the idea that players and creators will have an option to actually create mods for the game... we 100% support it." Technical Updates and Future Testing Outlined plans for technical improvements and updates. Unity 2022 Transition:  Moving to a new engine version for better performance and future features. Expectations: They are high for this transition but it will take some time before the performance improvements will be big. The new engine gives them more tools for this , but they will need time to implement the changes. Testing Servers:  Utilizing ETS for testing new features and gathering feedback. My 2 Cents I personally appreciated Nikita Buyanov's interview at TwitchCon San Diego 2024, and I think his words were sincere and honest . While I am puzzled by some choices made by BSG (Unheard Edition, etc.), I also think Nikita's vision is very important to keep EFT true to its nature (though it has already been changed both because of development limitations and players' preferences). I think interviews like this highlight how important communication is, and that every time Buyanov finds the time to share his thoughts with the community, it renews our faith in him (at least partially) and in the development of EFT. We all know BSG's many flaws and faults , but I am still positive EFT will improve and become better, while I am also aware it won't ever be perfect and will always have some disappointing aspects. To delve deeper into Nikita's insights and hear the interview in full, watch the complete video on YouTube, shared by Gigabeef . A heartfelt thank you to Gigabeef for providing valuable content and consistently supporting the EFT community with informative videos. Watch the Full Interview Watch Gigabeef's video commenting the interview Check Gigabeef's YouTube Channel Keep following The Tarkov Central to stay updated on Escape From Tarkov  and upcoming events. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

During Patch 0.14 wipe, BSG introduced a feature allowing players to quickly use consumables with a double-click. While it's a convenient quality of life improvement, it’s led to accidental use of valuable items, like injectors and Moonshines. Before Patch 0.14 players had to right-click an item and select "use" from the menu to use a consumable. Double-clicking opened the item’s inspect panel, displaying its stats and description. Recently, BSG introduced a feature allowing players to quickly use consumables with a double-click . While it's a great Quality Of Life improvement during raids, where every second matters, it has led to accidental use of valuable items, like injectors and Moonshine. Players accustomed to double-clicking to inspect items often end up using them by mistake . Accidentally consuming a bottle of water isn’t a big deal, but using a valuable Bottle of Fierce Hatchling Moonshine , worth around 200k Roubles, is a costly error. This issue is especially prevalent outside of raids when players want to check item stats in their stash or inventory. To address the problem, BSG added a setting that lets players control when double-clicking causes item use. We can now choose between Disabled , In Raid Only , and In Raid and Stash . By default, it should be set to "In Raid Only." However, it seems some players may have accidentally changed the setting or, for some reason, didn’t get it set by default to "In Raid Only" after the update. To avoid costly double-clicking mistakes, head to your in game Settings. On the first page, you'll find the option (refer to the screenshot). Ensure it's set to your preferred setting and click "SAVE". I personally keep it set to "In Raid Only" . Although I still occasionally double-click items to check stats out of habit during raids, this setting has saved me from accidentally using anything valuable. _____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

For newcomers to Escape from Tarkov, "The Wipe" is an almost mythological term and event. For veterans, it's a moment awaited with the hope and anticipation reserved for a prophet or a liberator. Let’s explore how it works and what its impact is on the game experience. In the EFT player community, "The Wipe" refers to the periodic reset of all game accounts, resetting every player back to level 1 and erasing everything accumulated—money, loot, gear, and quest progress. Only achievements and a few other elements (such as cosmetic items purchased with real money on the official BSG website) remain unaffected. In EFT, however, the wipe isn't just that. The word "wipe" also refers to the entire period between one reset and the next. For example, players refer to "mid-wipe" to indicate a point midway between one wipe and the next. Consequences of The Wipe With everyone starting from scratch: There’s no initial equipment disparity (although experienced players, who know the maps well and die less often, will gear up much faster). Everyone has to start with the first quests, making the quest zones crowded. This can be fun with more frequent fights, but it can also be frustrating when dying repeatedly makes completing quests difficult. Some players even camp these areas, knowing people are bound to visit for quests. Ground Zero is the map for players up to level 20, typically filled with newer, less experienced players. Right after the wipe, though, many experienced players are also here , making the map much more dangerous. Keep that in mind. At the beginning of the wipe, having better gear makes the biggest difference , as it’s harder (or impossible) to buy from Traders, since everyone has low reputation with them, and rare to find on the Flea Market, as most who find it keep it for themselves. Flea Market prices will fluctuate since everyone will need early items to upgrade their hideout, while items that will become the most expensive midway through the wipe are initially less in demand and, therefore, cheaper. If you have some spare cash, investing in items that will have greater value later (e.g., water filters , GPUs ) could be wise. The Cycle of the Wipe The periodic Wipe in EFT creates a sort of life cycle that repeats itself almost identically each time, except for possible changes introduced by patches. Players all start at level 1, triggering a race to level up as quickly as possible and acquire better equipment , gaining advantages over others. At the start of the wipe, there are also more players , with numbers dropping later as many reach certain goals and then wait for the next wipe to start fresh, joining in once again the race to level up quickly and gear up as fast as possible. Some ultra-competitive players even take time off work or hunker down for days to build an advantage over others—or simply to relish the satisfaction of "finishing" the game sooner. The "wipe cycle" impacts all aspects of the game . I've already mentioned changes in Flea Market prices and the fact that players are initially concentrated on completing the same quests, creating more chaos in early quest zones, which can be either exciting or frustrating. The game economy is influenced by the current stage of the wipe, as well as which maps are most frequented. Over time, players gradually spread out across various maps depending on their goals and playstyle. Of course, as some participate in this race, others, due to lack of time or a different playstyle, approach it more leisurely. I know because I am one of them. Our goal isn’t to "finish the game" but to "live it" , experience it fully, embracing the immersive, exploratory, and survival aspects of the game. Will Wipes Always Be Part of EFT? Clearly, the wipe isn’t exclusive to EFT. It’s often associated with the test phases (beta or alpha) of online games, where developers reset accounts upon updates or changes, forcing everyone to start from scratch to identify potential bugs, prevent any accumulated advantages from previous versions, and avoid issues that may arise from using old database versions with new game updates. This was also the origin of wipes in EFT, but due to the long development period and the game’s inherent mechanics, it’s become integral . Nikita, the head of BSG and creator of EFT, has repeatedly stated that wipes will continue even after the official release. The goal is to keep EFT engaging and challenging for competitive players. By resetting everything, all players are forced to start from zero, with limited funds and basic gear, resuming the race to level up and gain an advantage. Fortunately, Nikita has also said that in the final release, each player will have access to multiple game profiles: One with periodic wipes One that never resets (but may allow manual wiping) A PVE profile without wipes (with the option to wipe manually) Given my limited playtime and my playstile, I’m pleased about the option for a wipe-free mode, though we’ll have to see how it integrates into version 1.0. According to Nikita, the final version of EFT will differ somewhat from the current one , partly due to the implementation of story quests. All current quests should be considered "side quests," while the main story quests behind EFT remain unseen and won’t be accessible until version 1.0. What's your take on the Wipe? Are you a completionist racing to the top, or do you prefer to take things slow and savor the journey? Share your strategies, frustrations, and favorite Wipe moments in the comments below. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Buying from the flea market in Tarkov can be a risky business if you’re not paying attention. There are players out there who exploit the system to scam unsuspecting buyers out of their hard-earned Rubles. A YouTube video by a streamer named Tucoof illustrates just how easy it is for scammers to make millions off players who aren’t careful. The Scam Explained The scam works by manipulating the way the flea market sorts items by price per unit. Here’s how it’s done: Identify a Popular Item: The scammer picks an item that is frequently and rapidly bought and sold on the flea market. Any item in very high demand will work. Manipulate the Price: The scammer buys out all the cheaper listings of the item, driving the price up . For example, if chocolates are selling between 30,000 and 50,000 Rubles, the scammer buys out all listings at the lower end, effectively pushing the minimum price up. Create a Pack Listing: Here’s where the scam gets clever. The scammer lists a pack of the item (e.g., 69 chocolates) at a significantly higher price per unit than normal (e.g., 50,000x69=4,140,000 Rubles), while manipulating the price and ensuring that the price per unit of teir listing is still lower than any other listing. Because the flea market sorts items by the lowest price per unit, the scammer’s pack listing appears at the top, even if it's a pack of several units that costs millions of Rubles. Continual Manipulation:  The scammer keeps an eye on the flea market and buys any new listings that are cheaper than their own, ensuring their overpriced pack remains at the top of the list. Autopilot Buyers Fall Victim: To save time, many players buy items on the flea market quickly, often without checking the details. They instantly purchase the first item on the list , assuming it's the cheapest because their list is set to sort by price. What the reckless buyers don’t realize is that this top listing is actually a stack of multiple overpriced items. As a result, they not only pay more than the normal price per unit, but they also end up buying a large quantity, spending much more money than if they had bought just one overpriced item. Repetition: While executing his diabolical plan, the scammer purchases any new listings that are priced below his pack's cost per unit, accumulating more of the item to sell. The scam can be repeated as many times as the scammer desires. Yes, you've been scammed! The buyers who fall for this scam end up spending millions of Rubles on items that are worth a fraction of what they paid. In a YT video, Tucoof shows several streamers falling into his trap. One is Lvndmark , who doesn't take it very sportingly and looks a little annoyed (can't blame him, it probably doesn't feel great being duped in front of the thousands of people watching his stream!). Others just laugh at the scam, probably because it’s the end of the wipe, and we are all rich. How to Avoid Getting Scammed Here are a few tips to help you avoid falling victim to these types of scams on the flea market: Avoid Buying in a Rush:  Scammers rely on players being in a hurry and not paying attention. Take a moment to review the listing details before confirming a purchase. This is important also when a certain type of item is sold very quickly, and you keep clicking "Purchase" and hitting "Yes" to buy the cheapest before anyone else. If in the meantime a scammer lists a large stack, and you have the money to buy it, you will buy the whole pack. Be Aware of Market Prices: Know the average price range of items you regularly buy. This way, you can notice if something is overpriced. Just wait, and the price should stabilize again shortly. Stay Informed: We will keep posting about future possible scam when we get to know them. Keep checking TTC and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the most important news directly in your inbox! Check Tucoof's video to see Lvndmark's and other streamers' reactions to the scam.

Choosing the first map to learn and where to gain your initial experience is a dilemma that all new Escape from Tarkov players face. The decision is undoubtedly influenced by where the initial quests take place, often pointing to Ground Zero. But is this really the most "Timmy-friendly" map? In my opinion, there is no truly Timmy-friendly map, as each has unique characteristics and is challenging in its own way. However, each player can make their choice by considering some key factors . Ground Zero Ground Zero is undoubtedly a map worth learning early, as the first 4-5 missions from Traders take place here . While it’s true that you can play without doing quests, one of the initial goals for (mostly) any player and any playstile is to reach level 15 as quickly as possible to unlock the flea market . This provides access to better gear and more opportunities to earn money by reselling loot. Another advantage of Ground Zero is that it is currently the only map that separates low-level players from high-level ones . Players up to level 20 enter a slightly simplified version of the map where no Boss or their guards spawn. This offers a dual benefit: You encounter low-level players, usually less equipped. You face only Scavs, which are the easiest AI enemies in EFT. It’s true that low-level players aren’t always inexperienced —there’s always a chance of meeting skilled players with low-level PMCs ( especially at the start of a wipe ). However, the limited quality of their gear makes encounters more balanced. That said, Ground Zero has a relatively complex layout , compared to other more linear maps, with multiple structures, multi-floor buildings, and an underground section. Additionally, there are many elevated sniping positions (windows and terraces), making inexperienced players easy prey for snipers . Customs After the Ground Zero quests, the next ones take place in Customs and Woods. Customs is a good map for learning to play EFT because it offers a diverse layout , including both indoor structures and open spaces. This allows you to gain experience in mid-to-long-range combat as well as close-quarters combat (CQC). Many quests take place in Customs, so it’s a map you’ll need to learn well early on . However, it’s not exactly beginner-friendly , as it’s a popular map for PvP enthusiasts. You’re likely to encounter high-level, experienced, and well-equipped players actively seeking combat. This means you’re more likely to meet aggressive players rather than those who avoid confrontation. Additionally, shooting will often draw their attention, and if you don’t move quickly, you might become their prey. Woods Woods is considered a "quiet" map because it’s set in a large forested area with no choke points where enemy encounters are common. On the contrary, it’s easy to avoid heavily trafficked paths and steer clear of combat. Thanks to the abundance of trees and varied terrain, it’s also relatively easy to escape or hide when you hear enemies approaching. The ease of avoiding player combat by staying away from contested areas allows new players to gain experience with movement and navigation . Additionally, the large number of hidden caches makes it possible to gather a lot of loot with less risk compared to other maps. However, it’s a large map with few landmarks , making it hard to know where you are when you spawn at the start of a raid if you’re unfamiliar with it. It’s easy to get disoriented (or stumble into a minefield!). Notable Mention: Factory Factory is not recommended for absolute beginners because it is strictly CQC and requires quick reflexes, the ability to handle high-stress situations, and the skills to escape dire circumstances where death is imminent. However, it’s a map where you’re guaranteed to encounter enemies, allowing you to gain a lot of combat experience in a short time. One challenge in learning EFT is that you sometimes encounter few enemies during raids, limiting your experience fighting other players. While you might run into some AI, fighting players is an entirely different story. Factory can thus be an excellent training ground for combat, enabling you to accumulate experience more quickly. It’s great for early practice in Practice Mode and, once you’re more confident, for PvP. So, What’s the Verdict? As I mentioned at the beginning, there isn’t a “Best Map to Learn On.” The truth is that in Escape from Tarkov, you need to gradually learn all the maps , following the quest progression and gaining experience along the way. So, more than a “Best Map to Learn On” there is a logical choice if you want to progess with questing. When I started playing EFT, Ground Zero didn’t exist yet, so I learned the basics on Customs and Woods. I used both Practice Mode and the Scav runs to learn the maps. I completed the first quests in Customs and gained PvP experience. Woods helped me relax by exploring the forest and various areas, collecting loot from hidden caches and less frequented spots to earn money for better equipment. I also used Factory to practice combat against AI in Practice Mode . Once I got familiar with it, I started engaging in PvP, both to complete quests and to gain experience and confidence in my CQC skills. If you want to know more about how to use Practice Mode to learn EFT, check this link to the tutorial I prepared . I hope this article can help you decide which map to start with. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

With patch 0.15, BSG introduced the Cultist Circle in Escape From Tarkov, allowing players to "sacrifice" in-game items to the Cultists and receive other items in return. What you receive is mostly random, but there are some items that, if sacrificed, always yield a specific result. The patch notes inform us that: The new Cultist Circle is located outside the main Hideout. You can sacrifice up to 5 items to the Cultist Circle; The value of each sacrificed item is added up; This total determines the value of items received as a Gift from the cultists; The cultists cannot deliver items while you are in the Hideout. The value of the sacrificed items is further increased by the bonuses from: Sacred Amulet Hideout Management skill Also note that players who have purchased The Unheard Edition will have the Cultist Circle built instantly. What is the Cultist Circle? The exact lore behind the Cultist Circle is unclear and may be explained further upon the final release of EFT . However, it's a convenient feature for disposing of unwanted items or useless junk cluttering our stashes in a more entertaining way. Instead of selling these items to traders or discarding them, we can sacrifice them at the Cultist Circle and see what we get in return. The mechanism is similar to the Scav Case , with the difference that in the latter, the payments given to scavs for searching random items are fixed, whereas with the Cultist Circle, we can sacrifice any items we want. Many players have also started searching for combinations of items that consistently yield the same results the first time they are sacrificed. You can see which ones on the Hideout page of the Escape From Tarkov  Wiki . Additionally, the patch notes for patch 0.15 state that: "If the value of a single sacrifice is above a certain threshold, there is a 25% chance to receive items needed for active tasks and unfinished Hideout zones." This feature offers a great opportunity to obtain those incredibly rare or extremely expensive items that we struggle to find while raiding in Tarkov. The Threshold(s) There are 2 thresholds: 350,001 RUB and 400,000 When the total value of the sacrifice (the sum of the base value of each sacrificed item) reaches the 350,001 RUB threshold , the sacrifice will take 14 hours, and there is an increased chance to receive rare and high-value items. When the total value is 400,000 RUB or more , there is a 25% chance of receiving items needed for active quests and Hideout upgrades. If this chance is triggered, the sacrifice will last 6 hours . If the chance is not triggered, the sacrifice will last 14 hours , and it will behave as the lower threshold case. But what are the base values of items? To calculate them, we have to take the trader buy-back price and divide it by the multiplier of that trader. Different traders have different multipliers. It's a bit complicated, so for this reason we have been gifted with a great tool: the Cultist Calculator. IMPORTANT TIP: After writing this article, I recently found out that one of the cheapest choices to reach the 400k threshold in the Cultist Circle is to use 2 MP5SDs bought from Pacekeeper and 1 Diary or a similar value item (an SSD seems to work too). While it's not clear why this works, since the total value should not be enough, this combination is cheaper than most possible other combinations, and another plus is you won't be subject to market fluctuation . Cultist Calculator Wilsman77, using Tarkov Market data and collaborating with streamer VeryBadSCAV —who conducted the research—has created the 'Cultist Calculator' , available to everyone. This tool helps you choose the 5 items needed to reach the selected threshold without having to calculate their base value yourself. The Cultist Calculator is very useful for having a greater selection of items we can sacrifice (if an item is very expensive on the Flea Market, you can choose another) and for avoiding the sacrifice of items that, when combined, exceed the necessary threshold by too much —thereby wasting high-value items unnecessarily. You can select PVP or PVE mode. You can select the threshold to reach, so you don't waste money with item that have a higher value than needed. It has the Auto Select feature that generates a random set of 5 items precisely meeting the selected threshold, providing a more 'slot-machine' experience. You can exclude items that you don't want to use (e.g. because their price is very high on the Flea Market at that moment). You can select which categories of items to include or exclude in the Settings. It also lists Recipes , known combinations that give known results. Don't forget to click the Help button in the top left of the calculator to read the instructions. Cultist Circle Visions? If you haven't seen it yet, below is a video from the ingenious and visionary YouTuber and programmer Tarkin that depicts the Cultist Circle in a different yet very fitting way. Also don't forget to check out Tarkin YouTube Channel for more visionary and fun videos. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov !  Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Escape from Tarkov offers two modes that are useful for learning how to play without risking the gear and money given to us when we start the game: Using the Scav Practice Mode Reading the comments from the Escape from Tarkov community, I realized that many overlook Practice Mode, suggesting instead that beginners use the Scav to do raids without risking anything (because the Scav has random but free gear). While it is correct to suggest using the Scav to learn certain aspects of the game, it is also true that Practice Mode offers greater flexibility and some advantages that the Scav cannot provide. The Scav is very useful for learning while also scavenging loot and maybe kill some enemy without risk, but in my opinion, it is already one step beyond Practice Mode. If a player is truly a beginner and is approaching EFT for the first time, Practice Mode is a better choice. What is Practice Mode? Practice Mode is certainly more useful for beginners, but it can also benefit experienced players. The most important feature is that it is a provisional, offline practice raid. This means it will not be recorded by the game, and once you leave (by dying, reaching the time limit, or exiting voluntarily), it will be as if nothing happened. Therefore, all your equipment, ammunition, and healing items will be restored to their state before starting the raid. However, everything you collected, quests completed, and experience gained will also be lost. How to Activate Practice Mode When you decide to start a raid and select “Escape from Tarkov” from the main menu, you have the option to choose whether to use your PMC or the Scav. Choose the PMC and, on the next screen, you can select the map for the raid. On the following screen, you will see the option “Enable Practice Mode for this raid.” If you select it, you can click on the “Game Settings” button on the right, allowing you to customize the settings for the raid you are about to undertake. Game Settings Co-op Mode: This enables the possibility of entering Practice Mode with friends. It is extremely useful for training together, experimenting (e.g., testing sounds or damage, positioning), and especially for practicing team play. This is critical in EFT due to the lack of markers distinguishing friends from enemies, making preparation and good communication vital. With the Co-op function, you can also engage in friendly skirmishes to improve your skills and combat strategies without losing gear when you die. Game Settings: In theory, this should allow enabling and configuring some very interesting game features. However, currently, it only allows randomizing weather conditions and the time of the raid. If you do not select these options, the weather and time will match those active when you selected the map (on the previous screen). AI Settings: Here too, some settings are unavailable at the moment, but the available ones are extremely useful. AI Amount  - (as in online, none, low, medium, high, horde) AI Difficulty  - (as in online, easy, medium, hard, impossible, random) The ability to decide how many AI to encounter on a map, as well as their difficulty, is crucial for training and improving in EFT. Want to explore a new map you don't know? Turn off AI completely and move around freely without fear or distractions. Want to practice aiming? Go to Factory, set AI amount to horde and difficulty to easy. Enable Bosses:  Pretty self-explanatory, but note that this option also enables or disables the spawn of Rogues, Raiders, and Cultists (in PvE, it also controls if AI-controlled PMCs will spawn or not). Scav War:  If activated, Scavs will fight each other. Tagged and Cursed:  All AI know your position and will come after you to try and eliminate you. Great for practicing aiming and getting used to fighting under pressure. It’s the same effect triggered if you enter a raid without at least a pistol and a chest rig. This is done to prevent players from entering raids completely unarmed. Learning the game My suggestion is to use Practice Mode initially, when you know nothing about the game. It is excellent for exploring maps and starting to learn them even before trying them with the Scav or PMC in real raids. Tests and drills Another use is to test weapons, fire modes, reloading, and filling magazines with ammunition. It is also great for getting used to healing actions for various conditions (health points, light and heavy bleeding, bone fractures). In short, it is not only for exploring and learning maps but also for familiarizing yourself with all the operations you will need to perform quickly and instinctively in real raids, especially during combat, where you must act fast and without hesitation. Combat Of course, Practice Mode is also an excellent way to learn the basics of combat and get accustomed to defeating AI before introducing the greater difficulty of online PvP raids, which involve other players. Increasing the number of AI and their difficulty is also excellent training for improving even for experienced players or warming up at the beginning of a gaming session. Quests Practice Mode can also be used to try out quests before undertaking them in a real raid. It is true that between the Wiki, YouTube, and various sites, you can find all the necessary information before doing a quest. However, for more complex ones in unfamiliar territories, it can be helpful to try them first in Practice Mode. Co-op Finally, Practice Mode, through the Co-op function that allows you to play with friends, offers the opportunity to learn how to move as a team, communicate correctly, and develop tactics and teamwork. With the Co-op function, you can also engage in friendly skirmishes to improve your skills and combat strategies without losing gear when you die. Factory map Which map to select depends on your objective, but remember that Factory is the smallest and fastest to load map, so for some tests it’s the best choice to get in and reset fast if needed. This is all about Practice Mode. If you have suggestions or comments, let me know!

On the 1st of April,k on Null1k channel on Twitch, Nikita Buyanov, the head of Battlestate Games, engaged in a wide-ranging conversation, offering insights into the development of Escape from Tarkov (EFT) and related projects. This article delves into each question posed and Nikita's comprehensive responses. Before we begin , I’d like to express my gratitude to Null1k  for conducting the original interview with Nikita. Very special thanks also go to Midnight Lyrics  for the incredible work of transcribing and translating the interview from Russian into English — without their effort, this article wouldn’t have been possible. A big thank you as well to Airwingmarine  and his Discord community , where the translated interview is available. I encourage all readers to check it out and thank Midnight Lyrics directly for their outstanding contribution. If you speak Russian , you can watch the full interview directly on Null1k Twitch Channel (Click the link to jump to the exact timestamp where the interview begins). Initial Mood and Well-being The conversation began with a casual check-in from "Null", inquiring about Nikita's mood and overall well-being. Nikita responded with a touch of weariness, stating, " It's hard to live. It's like this. There's a lot to do, work, we're not young anymore ". This initial exchange sets a somewhat grounded tone for the discussion, acknowledging the pressures of game development. A lighthearted moment followed concerning Nikita's webcam, where he jokingly asked to be made " as small as possible. And put me under the sofa somewhere ". The Highly Praised Minotaur Event One of the central topics discussed was the recent "minotaur" event in Escape from Tarkov. Null noted the community's experience with it, expressing hope that such content would continue. Nikita's reaction was overwhelmingly positive. He exclaimed, " Yeah, I know, that's the best one. I think it's the best thing that's happened in years with EFT. The guys have been doing really cool stuff, you know, narrative, action, this and that, that kind of stuff. I kind of said right away: we need to keep doing stuff like that, add it to the story quests ". He further expressed his satisfaction, saying, " Oh, yeah. I'm even more than satisfied, because it turned out cool, it turned out to be such a single player experience. No, it's cool. But it turned out to be an opportunity to feel some unusual vibe, not of Tarkov, but of some of the horror, of some of these games. It's cool, it's cool, I really liked it ". Crucially, Nikita confirmed the future of the minotaur event's narrative, stating, " What's more, it's going to be a story quest alone afterwards altogether. Well, that's just the way it is. Because there is a lot of narrative in this quest, in this event in general, story narrative. There's a lot of stuff related to the game and to the story quests, which will be further on. So yeah, it's going to be in the game, of course it will be in the game, definitely it will be, unequivocally, it's a great thing ". This indicates a clear integration of the event's lore into the main storyline. When Null suggested the possibility of more such "dungeons" in different locations in the future, Nikita responded optimistically, " Those ideas will definitely evolve. That's 100%. Because there are big enough such serious plans regarding all the functionality that was added. Yes, it will be cool ". He also described the event as " a good development of tarkov. Combined multiplayer-singleplayer experience ", hinting at future developments along similar lines, potentially evolving into something " basically like Destiny, but not a grindy game, but just going through the story together ". Nikita stressed the importance of player feedback on the minotaur event, stating that " your feedback, your positive comments and your interest is the most important thing. In fact, it determines what is important, what is interesting, what should be done and what should not be done. So, so play, test ". Arena's Release on the Epic Games Store The conversation then shifted to the upcoming release of Arena on the Epic Games Store, scheduled for April 10th. Null asked for Nikita's comment on this decision and what players should expect. Nikita explained the rationale behind the choice, saying, " Well, because they are good guys, they treated us so well, they gave us good conditions, that's why. So we thought, why not? We'll try to do it in Epic Games Store, and then we'll do it in Steam as well ". He explicitly reassured players that " For those who think it won't be on Steam, everything will be on Steam, and EFT will be on Steam, and the arena will be on Steam. That's it ", clarifying that the Epic Games Store release is not exclusive. Regarding what to expect, Nikita simply stated, " Fun! ". Arena Access and Future Content Null then inquired about how players would gain access to Arena and if there were plans for a Battle Pass. Nikita remained somewhat tight-lipped on the specifics, likely due to internal communication protocols. However, he did confirm that " there's gonna be content, there's gonna be a lot of content. There's gonna be a lot of rebalancing. Camouflage on guns. It's gonna be all right ". He further elaborated on weapon skins, stating, " Yes. First it will be in arena, then we'll drag them to tarkov, because there are a lot more guns in tarkov, a lot more mods. Although in the arena there's a lot of them too, to be honest. Well, there are some technical peculiarities there ". This indicates that weapon customisation, including skins, will be a feature in Arena, with a potential future implementation in Escape from Tarkov. Nikita's Perspective on the EFT Player Base and the Game's "Soul" Nikita shared his profound thoughts on the Escape from Tarkov player base and the game's enduring appeal. He stated, " Actually, you know, I would even say that it's not that the game is cool, but everything that it spawned, a whole subculture of people and in general millions of players are united by one idea: ‘Suffering is cool’ actually ". He believes that Tarkov has reopened a door to a more hardcore gaming experience, noting that " tarkov is not only about the extraction shooter he created, but tarkov is probably about opening some door that was closed in the good old days when games were new to everyone and there was real hardcore. I feel like we opened that door again and as a result we've kept that door open for almost 10 years now, if not more, and will continue to keep it open. And there's so much more to come, you have no idea ". Nikita acknowledged the game's imperfections but highlighted the immense amount of work and content that has been created. He also touched on other companies attempting to replicate EFT's success, stating that they " can't copy the soul. Morons, you know ". He emphasised the crucial role of the players, saying, " the soul of EFT lies not only in the programmers who do it there, but in you too, who play there, because you are the fuel that burns in this fire, you know ". Last Moment of True Happiness A more introspective question asked Nikita when he last felt truly happy. His response was surprisingly poignant, " Oh, man. Fucking hell. I'm allowed to swear in here, aren't I? Anyway, I honestly don't remember. I've forgotten to be happy at all, because even if something good happens, even if everything is good, you still group yourself together, because you think, ‘Oh, shit, something is going to go off somewhere else, something is going to go off somewhere else, something is going to hit you in the ass 100 percent’. That's why I'm not used to it. It's actually okay, you're perpetually mobilized, but it's not easy. Because you get depressed a lot. And you can't really be helped by any wealth and opportunities and stuff. It just happens that you don't have any energy and strength, because you are just overloaded, burned out. And that's just so that separately directly happy..... Shit, I don't remember, it must have been a long time ago when I got my Playstation 1 ". This candid answer provides a glimpse into the pressures and demands of his role. Will the Release of EFT Bring Happiness? Following this, Null asked if the eventual release of EFT might bring Nikita closer to happiness. Nikita's response was nuanced and realistic. He explained that " a tarkov release isn't just a button pushed or there's a series of marketing events or there's just changing the beta plate to 1.0. It is a very serious business process, a very serious social process, it is such a difficult thing that can't be done in one day, because the tarkov release is not just “We released and forgot about the game”, we have to continue to develop this whole thing and we have to continue to restructure it in some way so that it would be more efficient, so that we would put on stream these cool events that we decided to launch in full. And we have to continue to surprise people somehow, despite the fact that the game is already 10 years old ". He anticipated a potential influx of players and technical challenges upon release, concluding, " No, I won't. I even know why I won't be happier. Because it's probably going to be such an influx of players, we're going to have everything start cracking up so much. And we'll be so ddos, everyone will get together and ddos us. Why? Because what, I don't know. The disturbers of the peace... ". Interaction with the Development Team Null then inquired about the dynamics within the development team, asking how they approach Nikita with concerns or ideas. Nikita described the team structure, stating that " we have for a long time, for many years, the guys have been divided into sub-teams and sub-teams are not that separate people, for example, people who do programming or separate people, animators. No, these are some task forces that work on different parts of the game. They work on the event, on location expansions, on location optimization, and they are all friends with each other... ". He expressed his positive interactions with the team, noting recent improvements in their efficiency. He also affirmed his constant involvement in the development process, saying, " I do it all the time. Non-stop, every day... Of course, everything goes through me. What, you don't think I'm involved? Everything goes through me. And design... Denis sends me something all the time, always asking for my comments, and a lot of things... And the design and all of it we're approving. On story quests, all sorts of things, there's graphic design, constant calls, I'm constantly adjusting something. I tell them how to do it better. So it's always going on, it hasn't gone anywhere ". The Future of PVE and Prestige A significant portion of the conversation addressed the future of the PVE mode, particularly regarding prestige and a potential connection to the Arena. Null highlighted that many players, particularly those with more experience, have moved to PVE and are interested in its development. Nikita's stance on PVE prestige is nuanced. He stated firmly, " Well I can't you guys and ladies... I can't tell you “I want to do a prestige opportunity in PVE”. It's prestige to play online EFT. It's prestigious to suffer there, it's prestigious to die there. For natural and unnatural (unfortunately) reasons. Well that's a lot more respectful. Because I planned the game to be online and didn't think there would be any PVE mode at all. We suffer, we play in PVP. Simple. And get prestige for it. That's it ". He acknowledged internal discussions about potentially adding " some ‘Kind of prestige’ " to PVE but expressed concern that it " would equalize them with those who play PVP ", questioning whether " those who play PVE, they're not as cool as those who play PVP? ". He left this question unanswered, indicating ongoing internal deliberation. Nikita also reiterated that " PVE was introduced so that newcomers understood the basics and went to PVP to play . In fact, yes, that's the way it is" . PVE as a separate mode Regarding the development of PVE as a separate mode, Nikita suggested that " if we had some crazy opportunities now, and most importantly, the forces of a fundamental nature, to further develop all this stuff at a powerful pace, then of course a very serious DLC is planned ". However, he then jokingly mentioned a high price point for such DLC. He clarified that " The closest DLC we'll have is most likely Scav Life. There's a lot of things planned there: playing as a boss and quests for the wild and in general all sorts of cool stuff, customization. And PVE development I think it just needs to be a separate DLC of some kind, so that, again, there will be some economic background ". He dismissed the idea of a subscription model and stated that the current priority is to " fix the maximum of everything ". Arena and PVE Concerning the connection between Arena and PVE ("Ref"), Null specifically asked about this. Nikita confirmed that " It's planned. We've been planning this for a long time, it's going to happen, there's just certain issues with it all. I just don't remember why we're not doing it now. Probably because, again, we prioritized fixes and stuff like that ". This assures PVE players that a connection to the Arena mode is still on the development roadmap. Feelings About Cheaters When the topic of cheaters was directly raised, Nikita expressed a sense of frustration and difficulty in communicating the complexities of the issue. He stated, " Oh, man, I'm really-- I don't need to answer that question. I don't know what kind of communication strategy to choose to make people understand at least a little bit how it all works ". This suggests ongoing challenges and perhaps a feeling of being misunderstood regarding the efforts to combat cheating. Hardcore Mode Without Flea Market and Prestige System Null inquired about the possibility of a " hardcore type mode planned without flea market? ". Nikita deemed this " unlikely " given the game's current evolutionary direction. However, he did mention an idea related to prestige, " that you can after prestige.... Get prestige and you can start a new game, specifying ‘perks’ and debuffs. And it will be different somehow ". This suggests a different form of hardcore experience tied to a prestige system, rather than simply removing the flea market from the current game. Legendary Weapon Modifications The topic of " legendary’ modifications for weapons " was brought up, referencing a previous discussion about special loot dropping from bosses. Nikita confirmed that this had " been planned for a long time, like five years ago, but for some reason we still can't get it all into the game ". He noted that a significant portion of the initial game design already included such features but that completing everything is unlikely to avoid endless development. He hinted that " We will add something like this in some DLC ". The Cat in the Hideout A more whimsical question concerned the persistent community request for a cat in the hideout. Nikita admitted, " Yeah I want a cat added to the shelter myself, for sure ". However, he humorously prioritised game performance, asking, " Well, man, we have other priorities, we're fixing the game. Do you need the game to run better and faster? Or don't you?! ". This lighthearted exchange acknowledged the community's desires while highlighting the development team's focus on more critical issues. Is Release Tomorrow? In a classic community question, Null asked, " Is the release tomorrow? ". Nikita's straightforward answer was, " No, not tomorrow ". Tubes Another specific community request was about adding the ability to " shoot with tubes ". Nikita simply replied, " It's coming, it's coming. Wait for it. It's coming. Yes ", offering a clear confirmation, albeit without a specific timeframe. If you're wondering what "shoot with tubes" means,  that expression is most likely a quirky or awkward translation referring to tube-shaped weapons — in other words, rocket launchers . Null's Thanks and Nikita's Closing Remarks The stream concluded with Null expressing personal gratitude to Nikita for his support. Nikita responded with a general sentiment of goodwill, stating, " Good people should be helped! There's even this thing that no matter who you are... you should help those you can help. It is good and it is right and it will make our world a better place ". He bid farewell, mentioning an upcoming Tarkov TV podcast , and acknowledged feeling slightly unwell but wanting to rest. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov !  Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Today, 17/3/2025, BSG released a new patch that, while disappointing some players who were expecting the long-announced February event, still proves to be an important update with changes and bug fixes that improve and optimize Escape from Tarkov. Let's take a look at the most significant ones. The community has been eagerly awaiting the event that Battlestate Games announced for February . It was rumored to be a major event, which raised expectations. However, many players were also aware that BSG rarely sticks to their estimated timelines. And so it was: no news, and this patch did not bring the event either. Some would call it “Classic Tarkov.” Or perhaps, for once, BSG actually did what the community always asks for— focusing on optimization, bug fixes, and issues before thinking about anything else. While we wait for news about the event, we fortunately have plenty of other things to discuss. The recent months have shown a clear trend: BSG has been seriously and consistently dedicated to improving Escape from Tarkov in all aspects. A crucial factor in this is the use of in-game surveys , which BSG finally seems to be leveraging more effectively. Sometimes we players expect near-miracles, but after all, this tool was only recently implemented. Now, they are asking relevant questions and, most importantly, acting based on the results . The new Tarkov Community portal also seems to be accelerating EFT's improvements , bug fixes, and refinements in various game mechanics, such as loot distribution, player scavs raid access timing, and other features. This is thanks to its well-organized structure and the fact that it is managed by EFT Emissaries, who have direct contact with BSG. Overall, the community finally feels heard , and BSG appears to be moving much faster —sometimes almost instantly—to accommodate requests and implement suggested changes. Optimizations Optimized performance on Customs; Optimized in-raid memory consumption across all locations; Optimized shadow quality settings for better performance on low-end PCs. We will continue working on fixes and changes to optimize and improve the technical state of the game in upcoming updates. It is reassuring to see continued efforts to optimize the game's historically poor performance, a long-standing issue for Escape from Tarkov. However, recent improvements seem promising . One significant boost came from Nvidia's latest generation of DLSS, which improved performance for some players. But BSG has also put in considerable effort—not only implementing it quickly but continuing optimization through other means, likely aided by the recent upgrade to the Unity 2022 engine. Since EFT is a PC game, running on countless hardware configurations and software setups, improvements are more noticeable for some players than others. Some even report worse performance after updates. However, in most cases, BSG's optimizations have yielded positive results. AI Changes and Improvements We’re also pleased to see continued AI improvements, some of which specifically target the PvE mode—something many players will be happy to see receiving more attention. Bots now turn their heads towards the presumed target to obtain better visual awareness. This could be purely for a more natural effect, but it might also help players recognize when an AI has spotted them and is preparing to engage. The detection speed for Hard difficulty bots is now equal to that of Normal difficulty bots; Adjusted detection speed settings for AI PMCs. They now detect enemies 20% faster than regular bots. Adjusting detection speed is crucial for balancing AI combat , preventing scenarios where they become nearly invincible or possess superhuman reaction times. (Increasing AI PMCs' detection speed is likely to counterbalance the general reduction). AI PMCs now switch to single fire at long ranges and full auto at close range if possible. This is a great change—AI PMCs using single fire at long distances should prevent them from instantly melting players with pinpoint accuracy from unrealistic ranges. All Sniper Scavs and regular Scavs of any difficulty now have 30 head HP; AI PMCs, Raiders, and Rogues still have 35 head HP. This is likely a response to frequent complaints from players struggling to one-shot Scavs with precise headshots while keeping higher HP for more challenging AI types like AI PMCs (in PvE), Raiders, and Rogues (in both PvP and PvE). Regular bots no longer take cover in vegetation; Bots can no longer see through vegetation unless an enemy is very close; Bot vision is reduced if they are inside vegetation. These changes, combined with the detection speed tweaks, should make AI behavior more balanced and less like an aimbot . It also reduces frustrating instances where players win intense PvP battles in an epic raid, only to be instantly headshot by an invisible Scav hiding behind a bush. Increased the chance for AI PMCs to perceive an AI Scav as hostile to 80%. Other faction relationship chances remain unchanged across all locations. Another PvE adjustment—AI PMCs and Scavs often seem to form an unnatural truce, only to suddenly gang up on an unfortunate player who happens to pass by. Player Scav Spawn and Equipment Changes Adjusted Player Scav spawn time: they now appear no earlier than 17 minutes after the start of a raid on most locations, excluding Factory, Reserve, and low-level Ground Zero; Increased the chance of spawning with better Scav equipment for players with high Fence reputation. Following an in-game survey and feedback collected through the Tarkov Community portal, BSG decided to delay Player Scav entry into raids. This gives PMCs more time to loot and complete quests while also making Scav Karma (Fence Rep) farming more rewarding through better gear (and loot in their pockets) when raiding as a Scav. AI PMCs Equipment Change Increased the current and maximum durability of all AI PMC weapons. Many PvE players complained that fighting AI PMCs felt unrewarding because their weapons and armor were always too damaged to be useful. Unlike in PvP, where gear transfers between players are a core part of the gameplay loop. Spawn Chances All Bosses now have a 30% spawn chance; Increased Cultist spawn rate in both PvE and PvP modes; Reduced Partisan spawn rate in PvE mode. As usual, spawn rates for all Bosses and Cultists increase as the wipe progresses to help players complete their elimination quests more easily. Meanwhile, Partisan’s spawn rate in PvE has been reduced. He is the most hated bosses in this mode due to his mechanics—especially his silent footsteps, which feel like a built-in cheat . Ironically, many players choose PvE to avoid cheaters, yet Partisan’s stealth seems almost intentionally designed to frustrate them. Bot Fixes Fixed an issue where bots with shotguns or pistols would not take cover against distant enemies; Fixed an issue where bots would not react to noise sources; Fixed an issue where bots spawned too close to PMCs at the start of a raid; Fixed an issue where bots would stay inside vegetation after taking damage; Fixed several cases where bots could walk through closed doors. BSG continues refining AI behavior to make combat more engaging , both in PvE and PvP, where AI interactions can be the difference between an unforgettable raid and one best left forgotten. Extra Fixes Fixed several issues that caused glass to render incorrectly in certain cases; Fixed an issue where the RSP flares would not glow after being fired; Fixed several issues that caused the main game monitor to be detected incorrectly; Fixed the inability to shoot the MTs-255 shotgun while mounted; Fixed the ability to transfer an equipped dogtag to the sorting table; Fixed the incorrect trading UI when buying items with 7 or more cells in length; Fixed the cause of the inability to open containers in stash in certain cases. Items that did not fit in the stash after opening the container will now end up on the sorting table when you re-enter the Character screen; Fixed several incorrect conditions in the Gunsmith series tasks; Fixed the cause of missing rewards in the Cultist Circle in certain cases; Fixed the missing weapon reload animations in certain cases; After clicking the Cultist Circle notification, you will automatically switch to the Cultist Circle Hideout zone; Various fixes and improvements to the localization of interface, items, and tasks; Fixed the known issues where the player would get teleported from the edges of certain surfaces. Various bug fixes cover rendering issues, UI problems, incorrect conditions in Gunsmith tasks, missing rewards in the Cultist Circle, missing reload animations, and other gameplay elements. We’re not at the final polish phase before full release yet, given Tarkov’s sheer number of bugs and issues, but it’s clear BSG is working towards that goal—and so far, we’re on the right track. Keep it up, chuvaki! ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Today, March 23, 2025, Escape from Tarkov is hosting a unique event where all in-game bosses, excluding Cultists, had a guaranteed spawn rate of 100% in their designated locations. This means that players can anticipate encounters with bosses in every raid, providing both heightened challenges and opportunities for valuable loot.  the photo posted by BSG on their social media Today at 10:00 AM Moscow Time , Battlestate Games posted a cryptic photo on their social media—a set of Polaroids showing the Bosses of Escape from Tarkov . One of the pictures featured a handwritten note that simply said: “12:00–19:00.” The community wasted no time decoding the message: all bosses would be spawning with a 100% chance during that timeframe . After a few raids, it became clear that each boss was indeed spawning on their usual map with guaranteed probability. The only exception? The Cultists , who remained elusive as always, spawning with their usual low rate. Meanwhile, The Goons were spotted exclusively on their main territory: Lighthouse. As is often the case, the event sparked mixed feelings among players. Many welcomed the idea , grateful for the chance to easily locate bosses, collect rare loot, and complete boss-related quests. After all, it had been since December that BSG introduced an event to shake up the gameplay. But not everyone was thrilled A significant portion of the community criticized the short duration of the event , arguing that it excluded all players who weren’t able to log in during that narrow time window. The mood soured further when it was confirmed that the event is restricted to PvP mode only—leaving out the many players who now focus solely on PvE. Event Details PvP mode only Duration:  12:00 PM to 7:00 PM (MSK).​ Boss Locations: All bosses are present in their usual territories with a 100% spawn rate. The Goons  are found only on Lighthouse. Cultists are spawning with the usual spawn rate. My Take While the frustration over the short event window is absolutely valid —especially after months of stale gameplay—it’s worth considering that there may be a reason behind BSG’s decision. I suspect that this could be the beginning of a new approach: shorter, more frequent events, or even a series of chained events that play out over time. Unfortunately, due to some questionable choices made by BSG in the past, skepticism runs deep in the community. That, paired with the often knee-jerk tendency to criticize any change, has led many to assume the worst without considering that there might actually be a method to the madness . Of course, these are just my personal theories, and time may prove them wrong. But recently, BSG has been making more thoughtful moves, and I’m hopeful that this positive trend will continue . As for the complaints about the lack of PvE inclusion, I understand them. But I believe BSG may have intentionally chosen to limit the event to PvP in order to preserve PvE content in the long run. Unlike PvP, where seasonal wipes reset player progress, PvE mode lacks that cyclical reset—meaning giving players more boss encounters could deplete the available content more quickly . In PvP, time is limited. In PvE, content must last longer. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

The unexpected arrival of Escape from Tarkov: Arena  on the Epic Games Store has sparked new conversations about Battlestate Games’ long-term strategy. Once confined to its proprietary launcher, the Tarkov franchise now takes a bold step toward broader exposure. In this article, we take a closer look at the reasons behind this decision, its impact on both Arena and EFT, and what it could mean for the future of the franchise. Battlestate Games has fired a surprise shot: Escape from Tarkov: Arena   officially launched on the Epic Games Store on April 10, 2025. For a studio that has long defended its independence —avoiding platforms like Steam to stick to its proprietary launcher, and to prevent the game from being flooded with negative reviews during the most critical stages of its development—this marks a significant shift. The release on Epic likely signals greater confidence in the maturity of the product and possibly a move toward a more accessible future for the franchise. Timing and Strategy: Why Now? After a launch that drew curiosity but also criticism due to performance, stability, and netcode issues, BSG gradually improved Arena. By integrating it with Escape from Tarkov , they reignited interest among many players. Launching it on Epic seems like the next logical step: now that the product is more refined, it's the right time to broaden visibility and attract a wider audience —perhaps less "hardcore" but still drawn to its tactical and intense gameplay. The economic side shouldn’t be overlooked: Epic offers better financial conditions than other stores and, according to some rumors, may have incentivized the release with a dedicated agreement . For BSG, this is a concrete opportunity to test Arena’s commercial potential outside its own ecosystem. In this context comes a recent statement by Nikita Buyanov: in an interview, he shared the goal of making Escape from Tarkov  available on Steam at an undetermined point in the future. The release of Arena on the Epic Games Store could therefore be a general test to evaluate how a Tarkov title performs on an external platform—examining commercial dynamics, community response, and economic sustainability in a context where sales commissions are more favorable than on Steam (and without user reviews). A Bridge Between Arena and EFT Arena is not disconnected from EFT: some quests require completing PvP matches in the arena, and the rewards directly impact the main account. Playing Arena allows players to earn experience, money, and level up their character’s skills in Escape from Tarkov. Why? Because it’s the same character in both games—existing simultaneously in Tarkov raids and arena combat. In BSG’s official lore videos, Arena is portrayed as a facility located in the Norvinsk region , the same narrative setting as EFT, where fighters are taken and forced to battle. This strengthens both the narrative and gameplay integration between the two titles, making Arena an integral part  of Tarkov’s world. This connection is part of a deliberate strategy to link the two games commercially and encourage engagement across both. A new user discovering Arena on Epic might be captivated by its unique gameplay and then choose to dive into the full EFT experience. Conversely, a veteran Tarkov player might find Arena an efficient way to boost their character, gather resources, and train skills in a more immediate environment. What About Escape from Tarkov? Future Prospects While a direct release of Escape from Tarkov  on Epic doesn’t seem imminent, the future roadmap outlined by Nikita Buyanov is clear: EFT is on track to reach version 1.0 in a reasonable timeframe (soon™). The development roadmap spans a decade, just like the first development cycle—from alpha to the current state. The plan includes ongoing evolution through new content, DLCs, and features. The prospect of seeing EFT land on Steam—as stated by Nikita— fits neatly into this long-term vision . If Epic serves as a proving ground today, it’s entirely plausible that Steam could become an official platform for both Arena and EFT once the main development phase concludes. A Door Ajar Toward Unreal Engine? One last consideration, as touched upon in previous articles : Epic Games is also the company behind Unreal Engine. That’s no minor detail. While Escape from Tarkov  is built on Unity—and porting it to a different engine is practically unfeasible—it’s well known that the development process faced numerous technical challenges. These were only partly mitigated with the switch to Unity 2022, which brought greater stability and better performance. The launch on Epic could be an initial step toward strengthening ties with the Unreal ecosystem , not for EFT itself, but for future projects like the long-rumored Russia 2028  or even a potential Escape from Tarkov 2 . Building a business relationship now may smooth the path for future collaborations. Final Thoughts What might appear at first as a straightforward commercial release actually reveals deeper strategic intent : a shift in distribution, a new point of entry for players, and a technical and business experiment that could influence the franchise’s long-term direction. Escape from Tarkov: Arena  on Epic is much more than just another game on another store. It’s a calculated move that offers a glimpse into where Battlestate Games is heading—and maybe, how they plan to get there. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

A major new in-game event called The Labyrinth  has launched in Escape from Tarkov. This event is accessible in both PvE and PvP game modes and features an achievement for players who complete the entire task line. Here's an initial breakdown of the quests you'll need to undertake to eventually gain access to the mysterious Labyrinth. This initial set of quests provides the necessary steps to unlock the entrance to the new Labyrinth event in Escape from Tarkov. Prepare your gear, gather your key cards, and brace yourself for the challenges that await within the maze. I've described the locations you need to reach for the quests, along with some tips and notes that I recommend reading and following. However, I also suggest clicking on the quest name : the hyperlink will take you to the EFT Wiki page for that quest, which includes screenshots and maps to help you better understand where the locations are. The Initial Quest Line: The journey to the Labyrinth begins with a series of tasks primarily given by Mechanic. Shady Contractor :  This first task becomes available from Mechanic once you have completed the Saving the Mole quest (some say you also need to be level 21, but that's not reported on the Wiki). You will need to head to the Ground Zero map and locate the manager's diary . This diary can be found inside a black Lexus car with an open door  located on the south end of the map, near Capital Insight in the Nakatani Tower, in a small two-story building resembling a dealership. The diary can spawn on the dashboard, the seat, or in the trunk of the car. Once found, you must extract with the diary and hand it over to Mechanic to proceed. Needle in a Hay Stack :  This task from Mechanic requires you to visit specific locations on four different maps: Ground Zero, Interchange, Streets, and Shoreline. You do not  need to survive the raid after reaching these locations . Ground Zero:  Go to the courtyard of the TerraGroup building and enter a specific box located there. Interchange:  Head to the cart track  (outside) and the playground inside the ALI store  (within the mall). Note that this is not the playground outside by the stage. Streets:  Locate the Concordia playground  and enter the designated area. Shoreline:  Visit the construction site  on the coastline (in the middle of the blue fenced area) and a fenced-in playground behind the East Wing  of the resort. Upon visiting all these locations, the task is complete, and you can return to Mechanic for the next step. Hidden Layer :  This task from Mechanic is more involved and takes place on Shoreline. You need to find the Knossos LLC facility key . There are currently five known spawn locations for this key within the Shoreline resort area: Inside the building outside the East Wing, on a table. Inside the East Wing, on the second floor in a small utility room. Inside the East Wing, on the third floor in the same utility room area. Inside the Admin building, in the office where the 216 key spawns, on a lamp. Inside the West Wing, in a small computer room office near the front door. Note: It's possible for more than one key to spawn per match. Once you have the Knossos LLC facility key , you need to go to the basement of the West Wing  in the Shoreline resort. Use the key to open the door that on the right side has a sign on the ground with Russian text for "Knossos" . Inside, you will complete two subtasks, finishing the "Hidden Layer" quest. Return to Mechanic to receive your rewards. Info: If you're wondering what Knossos is and what the reference of the sign as well as of the event is, you can read it here (go to the "Legends" section). Time Gates and Subsequent Quests Upon completing "Hidden Layer," two time gates are triggered: a 30-minute wait and a 90-minute wait. 30 Minutes Time Gate Sensory Analysis Part One and Sensory Analysis Part Two :  After 30 minutes of completing the Hidden Layer quest, Ragman will give you this task. He will provide you with a bottle of moonshine, which you need to take to the BTR driver  on either Streets or Woods. Once you board the BTR, you need to go through the dialogue and hand over the moonshine (one selection) and then complete the task by finishing the interaction with the BTR driver (a second selection). This will complete Sensory Analysis Part Two , while to complete Part One you'll need to go back to your hideout and talk with Ragman again. Note:  Woods reportedly has a higher spawn rate for the BTR (80%) compared to Streets (70%) Note 02: Sensory Analysis Part Two gets automatically added to your quest list upon accepting Sensory Analysis Part One. Hot Zone (follows "Sensory Analysis Part One"):  This task, also from Ragman, requires you to plant items on Customs and Reserve. Customs:  You need to plant 12 Zulu nylon rigs  inside the unlocked office in New Gas (the first door on the left after entering from the bathroom side). It takes 5 seconds per item to plant. Note: You can do this part, as well as the Reserve part, over multiple raids if you wish to reduce risk of losing the rigs you're carrying in case you get killed. Tip: if you quickly double-tap the 'Tab' key after each plant, you can immediately begin the next one, avoiding a short delay. Tip 02: Ragman only sells 4 Zulu nylon rigs per reset, so you may want to buy some in advance to avoid having to buy them from the Flea Market for a higher price. Reserve:  You need to plant 12 Class 4 armour plates  on the roof of the Black Knight building. Note: any Class 4 plate will work. Ragman gives you 6 Monoclete level III PE ballistic plate as Initial Equipment, but you don't need the same kind to reach the total of 12 needed to complete the quest. The only advantage in using the Monoclete level III PE ballistic plate is that they are light, thus easier to carry. Tip: This location is exposed, so caution is advised. Smoke grenades might be helpful for cover. 90 Minutes Time Gate Forced Alliance :  1 hour and a half after completing "Hidden Layer" (if it doesn't appear, restart your game), this task from Mechanic will become available. It involves finding a way behind the health resort bunker door on Shoreline, and the objective is essentially about acquiring a Labrys access keycard . It also unlocks the quest The Tarkov Butcher from Therapist, that will reward you with five Labyrinth key cards. Upon receiving them, you will be able to complete Forced Alliance . The Tarkov Butcher :  This more complex task involves going to Ground Zero to retrieve an item and then planting it on Shoreline. Ground Zero:  Go to the underground road (accessible from various buildings) on the south end of the map and find a large truck with meat in the back . In the back you need to find a Container with suspicious substance . Once you obtain the container (it's a metal cylinder), you must extract from Ground Zero. Shoreline:  Take the cylinder to the ambulance inside the fenced cottage area  where Sanitar spawns. Plant the item by the front passenger wheel  of the ambulance. You do not need to survive after planting it. Completing "Tarkov Butcher" is significant as it rewards you with a Key Case and five Labrys access keycards , which are very expensive. It also unlocks the purchase of Labrys access keycards from Therapist at Loyalty Level 1 for 268,000 roubles , which is a potentially cheaper alternative to barters with Ragman. Offensive Reconnaissance :  Given by Mechanic after completing Forced Alliance , this task requires you to find out what is behind the health resort bunker door . Using a Labrys access keycard , you simply need to enter the Labyrinth transit  located behind the bunker door. You do not need to survive or do anything else within the Labyrinth for this task. Venturing into the Labyrinth Once these preceding quests are completed, the real adventure begins! You will be able to access and explore the Labyrinth and its secrets, fight its dangers, as well as unlock a series of tasks that take place within the Labyrinth itself: Hypotheses Testing , Vacate the Premises , Confidential Info , Indisputable Authority , This Tape Sucks (These all become available after completing Offensive Reconnaissance ) and the final and most complicated Keeper's Word To access the Labyrinth, you need to bring a  Labrys access keycard at the transit point located behind the health resort bunker door on Shoreline .. The transit mechanic functions like other transits in the game. Each member of a team entering through the transit must have their own key card . One member of the team interacts with the transit and the timer starts. Key cards will be consumed upon entry. The Labyrinth is a five-player map . If you enter it in a five man team, no other player will join. Players will spawn in separate puzzle rooms  at the start, even if they are in the same team. ____ There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

One of the first quests from Jaeger in Escape from Tarkov, Rite of Passage might seem simple at first. But many PvE players encounter problems finding enough Scavs at Old Gas Station, where they often fail to spawn. So, how do you complete it without wasting raid after raid? “Rite of Passage” is one of the first quests in Escape from Tarkov  that you receive from Jaeger (click to see detail in the EFT Wiki), after completing “Gunsmith Part 1” and “Introduction” with Mechanic, and then “Introduction” and “Work Smarter” with Jaeger. The quest simply requires you to: Eliminate 10 Scavs at Old Gas Station Eliminate 10 Scavs at New Gas Station Hand over 2 Found in Raid (FiR)  Metal Fuel Tanks. Finding the two Metal Fuel Tanks  is fairly easy. I found both near one of the gas pumps at Old Gas Station while hunting Scavs. You can check the EFT Wiki page on Metal Fuel Tanks  for additional locations and tips. When it comes to eliminating Scavs, getting 10 at New Gas Station  is simple. Usually, a couple of raids are enough because there are always several spawning there and getting attracted by gunshots. The real problem, however, is finding them at Old Gas Station . In PvP, this is common, but in PvE , it can be quite frustrating because Scavs often don't spawn in that area—likely due to the lack of other players roaming around the map. However, there are a few tricks that seem to work. How I Did It I also had trouble finding 10 Scavs at Old Gas Station, so I looked for advice and found that some players mentioned Scavs often spawn in an area after  you pass through it. If you go back later, you might find them waiting for you. I had noticed this behavior before in other situations, so I decided to test it out. After spawning into the raid, I went to Old Gas Station , and if there were no Scavs, I moved on—heading either towards Fortress  (east) or the warehouses to the south . Spent some time shooting and looting around, and when I went back, I almost always found at least one Scav waiting for me. It didn’t always work, but after 5-6 raids, I completed the quest. My final kill came from luring a Scav that was beyond the railroad track north of Old Gas Station. At first, it wouldn’t follow me or come towards me even if I made noise shooting a shotgun taken from one of its friends. But after shooting the Scav a couple of times in the arms, it finally chased me down. Other Suggested Tricks Fire unsuppressed shots  to attract Scavs (I tried this, but it didn’t work for me) . Drop loot on the ground  to lure Scavs (I haven’t tested this) . Go in with only a pistol and a few mags, no armor, chest rig, or backpack , to trigger the "Tagged and Cursed"  mechanic , which makes Scavs actively seek you out (I didn’t try this, but it should work) . Final Suggestions Since finding Scavs at Old Gas Station  may take several attempts, and you also need to locate Metal Fuel Tanks , I suggest the following strategy: Head to New Gas Station  and eliminate the Scavs there. Proceed to Old Gas Station . If there are no Scavs, search for Metal Fuel Tanks  near the gas pumps  and inside the White Van trunk  nearby. Try leaving Old Gas Station  for a few minutes—loot the warehouses nearby—then return to see if Scavs have spawned. If there are still no Scavs, leave the area and return again. If this still doesn’t work, extract from the raid. If you still need to kill more New Gas Station  Scavs, repeat from step 1. If you don’t need to go to New Gas Station anymore, you can try the "Tagged and Cursed"  method by entering a raid with only a pistol. Of course, this is risky because you're going in underequipped, so make sure you’re confident in your survival skills and your ability to reach Old Gas Station  alive with just a pistol (and a couple of mags). If you prefer a safer approach, keep returning to Old Gas Station . If no Scavs are there, move away, loot nearby warehouses, and come back later. With some patience, you'll complete the quest fairly quickly—this is the method I used. UPDATE:  I just read this post on Reddit where the OP mentioned that, after the latest patch that updated Escape from Tarkov, they couldn’t get Scavs to spawn by moving away from Old Gas Station and returning later, as suggested in this article. They also speculated that the AI behavior patch might have changed something. So, I loaded a local PvE raid  (not on BSG servers) to test if anything had actually changed after the patch and update this article accordingly. I spawned nearby, on the railroad close to the bridge/underpass leading to Old Gas Station. As I got closer, I scanned the area and saw a Scav running behind the blue metal wall  behind the station. I went there, killed it, then moved to the Giving Tree , and suddenly, I started getting shot at by another Scav coming from the underpass (or maybe it just spawned there—I didn’t see). This is definitely looks from how it was before because , when I did the quest, I had to pass through Old Gas Station and move away to trigger the Scav spawns. Maybe BSG improved the Scav spawning. Maybe I just got super lucky. Maybe they only spawn for me now because I’ve already completed the quest, lol. Anyway, if you haven’t tried yet, it may be a good idea to try running a local PvE raid  instead of playing on BSG servers to see if it makes a difference. BTW, being a local PvE of course The Goons spawned and killed me. I will do some more testing. UPDATE 2 : Did another raid on Customs. I spawned near the ZB-1011 extraction point and moved toward Old Gas Station. This time, there were no Scavs in sight. I crossed over to Fort, but no Goons this time. I ended up fighting some AI PMCs near Fort (they were outside Crackhouse). Took them all down (five in total). I went back to Old Gas Station. Still no Scavs . At this point, I crossed back to Crackhouse to loot the PMCs (and Crackhouse itself). Ran back to Old Gas. Still no Scavs. So, this time, no luck despite going back and forth twice. It appears that the randomness of Scavs spawning in Old Gas Station has increased, but I am pretty sure the above suggestions still work. I will keep testing and update this article to let you know the results of my experiments. UPDATE 3 - 20/03/25: In this post on Tarkov Community it's been announced that BSG has acknowledged the problem. They already increased Scavs spawn rate in that zone, but they can move away to loot. They plan to introduce a system to keep them in place for longer.

Tripwires have been introduced to the substantial arsenal available to players in Escape from Tarkov with patch 0.15, bringing a whole new dynamic to engagements, both defensively and offensively. Tripwires are a balanced and interesting addition, offering players new tactical options for both offensive and defensive plays. Let's see how to obtain them and how they work. First of all, to get your hands on tripwire installation kits , you'll need to complete a couple of quests for Jaeger : Rough Tarkov and Every Hunter Knows This . (In case you don't have Jager available for quests and trades, you need to complete the "Introduction" quest from Mechanic ). Rough Tarkov The first quest, "Rough Tarov" , requires you to visit the heavily mined area on Woods and the location of the Claymore Mine on Ground Zero. On Woods , this involves heading to the USEC camp and getting close to the mined area on the north side. On Ground Zero , you need to go to the first floor of the Tarbank offices, down the long hallway, to the open office at the end where a claymore is located (don't enter the room, or you will be blown up by the claymore!). Check the EFT Wiki page for more info , maps of the locations and screenshots for he quest "Rough Tarkov". Every Hunter Knows This The second quest you need to complete is "Every Hunter Knows This". It involves visiting a specific office on the third floor of Factory (the one where you kick the door open, part of CH Chemicals part two or three) and the first floor of three-story dorms on Customs (right by the stairwell). Check the EFT Wiki page for more info , maps of the locations and screenshots for he quest "Every Hunter Knows This". Acquiring Tripwires Installation Kits After completing these two quests, tripwire installation kits will become available for purchase from Jaeger at loyalty level one . They cost just under 24,581₽ each, and you can buy four per reset . Deploying Tripwires Tripwires can be placed in your special slots or secure container to avoid losing them in case of death. Or you can carry them in your chest rig or bag (they don't need to be in the chest rig, pockets, or special slots to work), with a maximum of four you can carry per raid (I am not sure if you can place more simultaneously, in case you loot a tripwire installation kit from another player's body). Tripwires installation kits do not operate independently; a grenade is required for them to function. To set one up, you first select the desired grenade using the grenade selection menu (default key 'G' hold+mouse scroll) or a hotkey. Or just press 'G' if you only have one kind of grenade in your pockets. Then, with the grenade in hand, pressing the key used to switch fire mode with weapons (default key 'B') initiates the tripwire setup animation. After the animation, an overlay for placing the trip mine appears on the ground, representing the non-grenade side. If it's green , you can place it there. If it's red , it means that's not a suitable location to place it. The non-grenade side is placed first , followed by the grenade side. There is a minimum and maximum length for the wire , and while the terrain doesn't need to be perfectly flat, if the non-grenade side is too high or low compared to the grenade side, you won't be able to place the tripwire. Tripwires can also be set on top of objects, provided the elevation of both ends is relatively close. When placing the tripwire, remember not to trap yourself . Abort! Abort! If you want to abort the tripwire placing, just press B again or switch to a weapon (it's faster to switch to a weapon because pressing B will perform a disassemble animation). You won't lose either the tripwire installation kit or the grenade. Duration Once set, tripwires are not permanent and will disarm after 10 minutes , at which point the grenade will simply fall to the ground harmlessly and can be looted. Disarming If you encounter a tripwire, or need to remove your own, they can be disarmed in just over 10 seconds . Disarming requires you to reach the grenade itself , not along the wire or the other stake. When you're close enough, a 'Disarm' option will appear on your screen. Press and hold the interact button (default 'F') to disarm the tripwire. A significant advantage is that having a multi-tool  in your pockets or special slots reduces the disarm time to approximately 3 seconds . Keep in mind that when you disarm a tripwire, only the grenade will be retrieved . The installation kit will be lost. Which grenades to use Any throwable grenade can be used with tripwires, including smokes, flashes, VOGs, and impact grenades. When triggered, the grenade functions according to its own fuse timer. For example, VOG-25s have a 2-second fuse, while M67s have a 5-second fuse. Interestingly, impact grenades , when used in a tripwire, will have their fuse converted to a 3.5-second safety fuse, as they don't actually impact anything. This makes impact grenades potentially one of the least effective choices for tripwires due to their small explosion radius and relatively long fuse in this context. Triggering the Tripwire Tripwires are triggered when someone or something touches the wire . Importantly, they are actual visible in-game objects, not magical triggers like the mines in minefields. This means they can be jumped over . Vaulting over an object with a tripwire attached on top seems to not trigger it, but it might be a bug. Equipment that is thrown, such as loot, bags, guns, helmets, or armor, will also trigger a tripwire if it hits the wire. A more unconventional method of triggering them is by shooting the wire  at close range. From a distance, the wires appear very thick, resembling bars, due to the graphics rendering engine. This visual characteristic at a distance actually makes them visible and shootable from afar , potentially allowing you to detonate your traps if you see someone near them. Shooting the grenade or the other stake will not trigger the tripwire; only the wire itself is sensitive . The explosions of other grenades, including those from other tripwires, can set them off. But not flash grenades or smoke grenades. Strategies and Usage Concealment is paramount when deploying tripwires. Placing them in grass or bushes makes them very difficult to see, especially during the day. Bushes also consistently slow down players , so this can be used to set an effective trap they can't run away from. Dark areas and fast transition zones , such as stairs, can also be effective, though the grenade itself might stand out on stairs. The placement of the stake holding the grenade is crucial; it needs to be positioned where the player is likely to be after triggering the wire. If someone is sprinting, they might outrun the grenade's blast radius. One effective tactic is area denial . Placing a tripwire perpendicular to a door opening makes it virtually impossible to pass through without triggering it. By placing the stake in or just past the doorway and positioning the grenade far enough away that it cannot be reached to disarm, you can effectively block access. Additionally, if the trapped individual is unaware, the grenade's standoff distance might still result in them running into the explosion. Another strategy involves creating a large explosion field  by using one tripwire to set off others in a chain reaction. With careful spacing, a single triggered tripwire can detonate multiple grenades, potentially catching fleeing targets or even trailing teammates. It's worth noting that kills achieved with tripwires are not recorded specially; they appear as standard grenade kills, and therefore count towards grenade kill-related tasks , such as "Grenadeer". Final Thoughts Tripwires add a new layer of tactical depth to Escape from Tarkov, giving players creative ways to control the battlefield, secure areas, or simply cause chaos . Whether you use them for area denial, setting deadly ambushes, or just making unsuspecting players regret their life choices, tripwires reward careful placement and strategic thinking. With a bit of practice, they can become a powerful tool in your arsenal—just remember that patience and positioning matter as much as firepower. They may not be foolproof, and skilled players can outmaneuver them, but when placed correctly, tripwires can turn the tide of a fight before it even begins. Deploying tripwires in Tarkov isn’t just effective—it’s downright evil. And if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Nikita is watching… and he’s definitely proud of you! There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

Nikita Buyanov, the creator and head of Battlestate Games, recently gave an extensive interview to the Russian YouTube channel , where he discussed the past, present, and future of EFT. The interview was conducted in Russian, which is great because Nikita expresses himself more freely and shares much more. However, the English subtitles were inaccurate, making the conversation hard to follow and to properly understand . So, I decided to write a summary highlighting the key points discussed. Additionally, I’ve included the full translation of the interview at the end of this article . I used ChatGPT to provide a more accurate translation directly from the Russian transcript. While it's quite lengthy, it's definitely worth reading as it captures far more details and nuances of what was actually said. In this in-depth conversation, Nikita covered a wide range of topics, from the game's initial inspiration to gameplay details and the challenges encountered during its development. Below are some of the key highlights (plus the full interview translation at the end). Following the information-rich interview at TwitchCon, this piece serves as an excellent deep dive into the foundational concepts of EFT, as well as Nikita's vision for the game—past, present, and future. But let's delve into what emerged in the interview. The Origin of EFT and the Extraction Shooter Genre Games like DayZ, Ultima Online , EVE Online , and Rainbow Six  inspired various aspects of EFT, particularly in creating a world where immersion and risk are fundamental elements. The element of total risk and the loss of everything present in EFT was not mainly inspired by DayZ  but rather by EVE Online . This mechanic in EVE Online  particularly struck Nikita, leading to the idea of a game where you can lose everything you carry with you and a gameplay loop based on "extraction"—a concept that, according to Buyanov, he invented. Curiosities About Game Development One of Nikita's first steps into game development was attempting to create maps for Counter-Strike . Originally, EFT was conceived as a browser game. The shift towards a standalone game occurred after browser technologies became obsolete. The Tough and Realistic Gameplay "In the beginning, I wanted the game to be super difficult, even if it meant there were only 2,000 players a day." EFT is known for its difficulty. The game was designed from the outset to be a hardcore experience, not for everyone. The idea was to have a niche of players who appreciated the challenge and tension characterizing the gameplay. Nikita mentioned that EFT is meant to be an experience for an elite of gamers, comparing the game to the Souls  series. However, over the years, EFT has become more mainstream than initially imagined, attracting a much larger audience than anticipated. Embracing the Suffering: How EFT’s Hardcore Experience Sets It Apart from Competitors Buyanov also detailed how the success of EFT has driven the emergence of other extraction shooters, although he believes many of these competitors simplify the concept to reduce player suffering. For him, the suffering and the resulting dopamine rush after surviving a raid are what make EFT special. Despite the rise of extraction shooters, no clear competitor to EFT has emerged because of the game’s complexity and content depth. Developing enough content takes an immense amount of time and resources. Buyanov admits that while the game is nearing completion after nearly a decade of work, maintaining it without a subscription model poses challenges. Modding will be allowed in the future, but it needs to be moderated to maintain the game’s integrity. Community & Player Mentorship The complexity of EFT led to the development of a player-driven mentorship system, where experienced players help newcomers understand the game. This is formalized in the Sherpa program, and Buyanov notes that the game’s structure encourages learning from more seasoned players, similar to how people seek advice from experts in real life. The Philosophy of the Game and the Limits of Realism EFT is not meant to be just fun but to immerse the player in a complete experience filled with tension and difficulty. Initially, Nikita had thought of an incredibly realistic aiming system, which would have been "unplayable" for most players. Balancing realism and playability was one of the biggest challenges. A Game to Live, Not Just to Complete Escape From Tarkov  is not a game for everyone, and that's precisely what makes it special. Nikita has always tried to push the limits of realism and create an experience that couldn't simply be "completed" but rather lived, with all its difficulties and complexities. The philosophy behind EFT, that of "risking everything," is what makes this game unique, and the future of Tarkov will be equally deep and ambitious. The Artisanal Approach in Development "In the early stages, we gathered with pen and paper, and simply started giving shape to our ideas." In the early stages of developing EFT, Nikita and his team gathered with paper and pen to bring their ideas to life. This artisanal and informal approach among friends characterized many of the project's first steps, with discussions around a table and hand-drawn maps that were later refined with the team's help. Many initial decisions on map layouts were intuitive, based on what seemed interesting or fun. Each team member had the opportunity to contribute, transforming and improving ideas into something concrete by adding credible elements like a sawmill in a forest setting or a large warehouse in an urban environment. This creative approach gave life to maps that maintain clear logic and a well-defined environmental narrative. The Roots of Inspiration and the Lore of Russia 2028 Nikita spoke about the connections between EFT and the Russia 2028 project, a post-apocalyptic universe that includes various conflicts and a rather dark future. He hinted at a "local nuclear conflict" and the idea of a more complex narrative, including the possibility that the story of Russia 2028 doesn't end well but with a touch of hope that players can build. The world of EFT fits into this context, allowing players to influence the experience through their actions and decisions. Personal Reality Reflected in the Game An interesting yet serious aspect is the parallel between the events of EFT and current reality. Nikita mentioned that while shaping the world of EFT, he had no idea that some scenarios would closely mirror today's global situation, leading him to reflect on the responsibility and impact of the narrative. He tried to imagine what could happen in a future marked by conflicts and advanced military technology, and many of his suppositions seem to have become reality. Vision for the Future and the World of Game Development Discussing the future of EFT and the world of Russia 2028, Nikita hinted that there are still many stories to tell, with projects that go beyond the game's release in version 1.0. He reiterated the importance of allowing players to choose how to behave at certain moments in the game, with decisions that concern the moral aspects of the story and can influence it. Modding "Yes, we will have modding." Buyanov confirmed that official modding will be integrated into EFT, allowing players to create content without fear of being banned, though a moderation system will ensure mods remain within the game's themes. While unofficial mods have already garnered attention, Buyanov emphasized that creating content for EFT is far more complex than many realize, given the size and scope of the game. SPT (Single Player Tarkov) Nikita Buyanov acknowledges criticisms about unofficial Single Player Tarkov  (SPT) mods, with some players claiming these mods have done things Battlestate Games couldn’t achieve in years. He finds this frustrating, explaining that while mods can make isolated improvements, integrating such features into the official game is much harder due to the complexity of EFT ’s ecosystem. Simply adding modded content isn’t feasible because developers have to ensure everything works together without breaking the game. Influence of Art & Games on the Future : Buyanov sees games as more than just entertainment; they can impact people’s lives in meaningful ways. He mentions how EFT  has helped players, even aiding in the rehabilitation of veterans with PTSD. He hopes that the game’s positive influence can extend beyond the gaming world and foster better communities. The Importance of Community The EFT community is quite unique, composed of both experienced players and newcomers eager to learn from them. Nikita talked about the Sherpa program—experienced players who help beginners adapt to the universe of Tarkov. The community has become a sort of ecosystem where players can translate experience and time invested into significant advantages, much like in real life. The Nature of the EFT Community Nikita discussed at length the dynamics of the EFT community, including the conflicts and tensions that arise. Part of the community behaves very harshly, sometimes even cruelly, but this ultimately reflects the deep attachment players have to the game. Composing Music for EFT : Buyanov has a long history with music and began composing as a teenager. He has written the soundtracks for Street Wars , Contract Wars , and Escape from Tarkov . He usually composes music when there’s a specific need, like a trailer, and draws from a wide range of musical influences. He finds it comforting to combine music with key emotional moments in the game. The Role of Creativity and Magic in Development One of the more surprising revelations from the interview was Buyanov’s belief in a certain “magic” guiding his creative process. He described how 20% of everything he does is influenced by something beyond logic or planning – an intangible force that steers him in the right direction when creating music or key moments in the game. This belief helps him stay focused and motivated in his ambitious projects. These were the highlights of the interview. As always, Nikita is a somewhat peculiar character and not liked by everyone. I've seen very negative comments about him online, but despite his uniqueness, I believe this interview, like the one at TwitchCon, is useful for better understanding him and the vision he has for the game and its future . I personally appreciate Nikita's candid approach to interviews , in which I believe he truly expresses his thoughts and feelings without as many filters as others often use. Moreover, I admire that Nikita wants to remain as faithful as possible to his original concept for the game , even though he recognizes that certain aspects were too "unplayable" for most players and have been adjusted to a more acceptable level. All past controversies, linked to undeniably wrong choices or poorly communicated decisions to the community , still remain. However, in my opinion, many steps have been taken in the right direction. I am optimistic about the future of EFT, even though it remains a human product and therefore cannot be perfect . Additionally, since it's a project originally designed for a niche audience, it will never satisfy everyone, and neither should it. And now, the real deal if you truly want to know everything Nikita said! The full interview translation! I highly recommend reading it . It sheds light on many aspects of Nikita's mindset, the creation of EFT, it's future, and why the game is the way it is. Full interview translation The interview begins with the interviewer providing an introduction to EFT for those unfamiliar with the game, which I have excluded. The translation is quite literal, and at some points, it may not sound perfect in English. However, I prioritized maintaining the spirit of the conversation over maximum clarity and readability. The Games That Influenced EFT and Its Origins Was Tarkov inspired by Day Z? Day Z wasn’t the main inspiration. Day Z was the catalyst for my split-second decision. To put it briefly, the story goes like this: At that time, I was already actively working on the pre-production of the Russia 2028 project, a whole universe that Escape from Tarkov is a part of. And essentially, it was a single-player game, not even a survival one, but an action RPG in a large world with survival elements. So, at that time, there were already some preconditions to create some kind of hardcore, militaristic action with survival elements. Back then, I had a game called Contract Wars, and yes, I remember that I started playing Day Z. And it kind of hit me that time was passing, and we hadn’t really done anything yet. Would we ever even start? At that time, I was playing two games mainly: Day Z and EVE-online. This whole idea of losing everything came to me from EVE-online. There, certain categories of ships you purchase get destroyed if you die in battle, and that’s probably where the whole concept of being able to lose everything came from. I remember that EVE-online was one of the few games I ever spent money on. I think it was just EVE-online, actually. I remember getting tired of saving up for a Tengu. I finally bought it after spending some money, watched a ton of tutorials on how to outfit it properly. I went out to fly it and got baited hard and killed. And I lost everything! I didn’t even know that was possible. I lost the ship, and not just the ship, but the entire fit, all the weapons on it—everything! And that’s probably when the idea came up—there’s a mechanic where you can lose it all, and it already exists in EVE-online. And I decided it was time to start doing it; there was no more time to waste. The very next day, I gathered the team and said, “Let’s make a mod for Contract Wars.” Contract Wars was a browser-based shooter, and I wanted to make a mod for it. I came up with the gameplay loop, this extraction mechanic, which, of course, wasn’t called that back then. We decided to try it out on the Factory map—starting with nothing, running around the location, gathering guns and items (which already existed in Contract Wars), and after a certain amount of time, you exit the location. But a couple of programmers suggested creating a completely new prototype from scratch. I was like, "Alright, let’s do it." And that’s how it was born. At one point, Escape from Tarkov was also planned as a browser game. Until all the technologies for that kind of thing got shut down. I thought it would be a browser game too. I reserved the name Escape from Tarkov, and it’s still there in my VK (VKontakte) account. It was supposed to be a browser game. But things changed, and we made a standalone game, a proper one, a separate game. So, in a way, yes, Day Z was the catalyst for the hardcore nature of the project. It had survival elements, inventory slots, and so on—those were the things I always liked. I thought it would be great to finally make something like that. And so we did. On Hardcore Elements Was the game always meant to be this hardcore from the start? I can't say that the initial idea was to crush everyone with harshness, difficulty, or hardcore gameplay. The goal was just to implement this hardcore realism. Initially, we planned it as a very niche game with maybe 30,000 players online at the most. And even that was considered an incredible result, super high. It was supposed to be a niche, hardcore game, not for everyone. Players would understand that it’s hard, and that they’d need to try very hard to make any progress in the game. But they’d know that. However, it turned out that a lot of people wanted to try it. At some point, maybe 2 or 3 years later, Tarkov became a way to prove something to someone. Like, the fact that you play Tarkov meant you were cool. You were a hardcore player, good job. We never planned this. We didn’t expect it to go that way at all. Why do you need help from experienced players to understand Tarkov? The concept of the game was complex, and it was clear from the beginning that you couldn’t just understand the game easily. Especially not in all aspects of it. More experienced players would inevitably help less experienced ones, one way or another. For example, we have the Sherpa program in the game. Sometimes, even if you're just playing with friends, if there's an experienced guy among them, you’d rather go with him. One of EFT’s goals was fulfilled by creating a community ecosystem where people value the hours they’ve put into the game. They transform those hours and that experience into an advantage. They use that advantage in the real world to be cooler than those who have played less. So, they become valuable to the less experienced players who want to learn. It’s like in real life. We all have plenty of questions in our real lives where it would be nice to consult someone with more experience. The same thing applies to EFT. About Balance Have you already found the perfect balance in the game? Actually, to be honest, this balance point happened, I think, about three years ago. And all we did was add various features and things that just made the game a bit more comfortable. At least in the stage of preparing for a raid, getting ready. There was a moment in the game when we had to simplify some things for the sake of not being too harsh on the players. Although, again, I’m always for that. I’d rather have fewer players—it would be more elite, so to speak, to play the game. To be part of this Tarkov community. It’s like being part of the Souls-like games community. Not everyone plays Dark Souls, roughly speaking. That’s how I wanted it initially: let it be super difficult, let there be, I don’t know, an online player base of 2,000 a day, but it would be something incredible! In the sense that one could be proud of it. Like: "Wow, I play Tarkov!" – "Are you crazy?" – "Yeah!" – "Well then, let’s be friends!" I don’t know, or however it usually happens. Or: "Okay, here’s a loan for you!" or: "Alright, here’s a visa, Schengen!" That would be nice, right? If you were a cool Tarkov player, you’d get a Schengen visa. That would be awesome. We had to simplify things, and there are moments I regret. Yes, I wanted it to be tough. I wanted it to stay that way. You’d have to install pouches first. Each pouch would give you a specific slot for a specific type of magazine. There wouldn’t be any simplifications like putting a propane tank in a 4x4 slot. In reality, you can’t fit a propane tank in a 4x4 slot. That’s supposed to be a combat bag. You could fit two magazines in there. So, roughly speaking, one by two, one by two. You could put them in your rig or in this bag. So, there are still these simplifications necessary to make it all playable. But overall, yes, you equip yourself, gather ammo, magazines, meds. It all feels real. But I understood that the game has now entered a somewhat mainstream category. Everyone knows Tarkov. Absolutely everyone. And many players from other categories are coming in. It all sounds so romantic, right? We’ve been making the game for 10 years. Oh, how cool! We don’t have investors. We earn on our own, do everything ourselves. But you still have to work. When will the player base run out? How many copies need to be sold? How many more copies can be sold? We don’t have a subscription model, we don’t have anything. Almost 10 years! This is a unique thing! Unique! Nobody wants to think about it, and nobody wants to talk about it. As soon as we make any changes: as soon as we add any skins for sale or new packs for sale, everyone immediately thinks we’re crazy—or I am. Well, me. Obviously, because I’m the face, people immediately try to throw everything at me. Nobody wants to think about, well guys, we’ve been working for 10 years. And all this needs to be economically feasible.** Interest in Weapons When did you become interested in weapons, and what do they mean to you? At first, I didn’t have any weapons at all. We would just go to shooting ranges, to the training grounds. We’d film everything, shoot. Then I realized I needed to get into it myself because I got hooked on weapon modification. I started collecting and looking into how everything works. And based on that, I made some changes to the development plans. I don’t see weapons purely as weapons, as a tool for causing damage or anything like that. It’s more about aesthetics. I don’t know, it’s just something that lives inside. It seems like every man, boy, has this love for guns. And, I don’t know, in me, it’s just expressed in this way, that I just like it. You just look at it, you enjoy it, touch it, and so on. Now, of course, lately I’m not as into it anymore. But there was a period, yes, for sure. Shooting for 2 hours once a week. Playing a game is something you can do all evening, progress through it. It can give you more pleasure. I still like narrative single-player games, you play through them like you read a book. You get a kind of artistic pleasure from them. Shooting is a different thing. Shooting is adrenaline, it’s, I don’t know, physical exertion and so on. A different kind of pleasure. So, it’s better to have both, roughly speaking. Do developers need to know about guns to make a good shooter? If we look at something more or less professional, we need to look at something like Squad, for example, or Insurgency. There it’s clear that the people involved know their stuff and want everything to be cool. Or like Ready or Not, for example. Specific knowledge is immediately felt, especially in terms of weapons. And now, as a rule, despite the fact that there are now a lot of consultants, a lot of YouTube guides, and games where you can just learn from experience, some shooters still come out, and you immediately understand that it’s unrealistic. Now everyone copies Call of Duty. They copy all the animations, essentially. Because it’s cool, fast, trendy, fun, youthful, and realistic enough. But again, from the perspective of real combat application of weapons, it’s not very realistic. But who needs it? The main thing is that it looks cool, and that young people play it. There’s another thing I often mention in interviews: if you’re upset about the games coming out now, I say: "Well, these games aren’t made for you!" Because games are made for young people, for the new generation. They don’t make games for boomers, they make them for zoomers. They’re made to appeal to completely different aspects, so to speak. And we, the old hardcore players, we’ll all be retirees soon. We’re all just waiting for this wonderful time when old school gaming comes back, hardcore. We’re kind of trying to bring it back. Because for me, hardcore games, old games, aren’t about difficulty, first and foremost, but they are games with so much in them that you can get lost in them and create a personality within the game. Like a second-life experience, something like that. I don’t know, like the old Ultima Online, or the first Deus Ex, or the first RTS games or turn-based tactical strategies, where you just died, and you couldn’t even save. Something like Commandos, that was cool! Or Rainbow Six, the first games, those were cool. That was cool! Airsoft and Level Design Do tactical shooting exercises or airsoft help in game design and level creation? Well, damn, what is tactical shooting: you stand there, shoot at cardboard targets. But airsoft, tactical airsoft, MilSim’s—that’s closer, actually, to these kinds of games. So, what is tactical shooting? How does it help with development, for example, in EFT? I have different gear, I can touch it, feel it, put it on, understand how everything works. Some new ideas come up. I can understand that, for example, with this type of gear, reloading will be inconvenient. Shoulder switching, how can that be done differently? Do you need slings or not? Even something as simple as pants and shoes—are they comfortable or not? Or different weapon manipulations, or directly changing body position, like tilting. All of that you can feel. And you can feel all of that dynamically, shooting real weapons. But it’s still a limited amount of information you can get. A lot more interesting information comes from team interactions, orientation in space, and overall tactical awareness. Ideas about how to create locations came to me when I played airsoft. When you’re in full gear with ballistic plates, weapons, fully decked out one-to-one (only with airsoft gear), running in a group of three in a semi-abandoned cinema, with flashlights and all the extra stuff—it’s very cool. This gives more information because, again, nowadays airsoft guns are gas blowback, you put this thing in, it imitates a muzzle flash. It feels very similar to tactical shooting, for example, when we trained and shot at various targets or practiced exercises. If we’re talking about how to improve the quality of developing these kinds of games: airsoft, understanding the gear, shooting real weapons, not drinking, not smoking, listening to your mom. That’s it! We even have airsoft enthusiasts here who still go to the woods to play “with the balls” every weekend—that’s what it’s called. They’ve got NVGs, thermal scopes—it’s insane! Their gear costs millions, and it's such an interesting hobby. But that’s not the point. Airsoft, however, is unlikely to have influenced the level design. Because, as a rule, our level design was born from real photographs. We just walked around: our Factory, basically, is a real factory. The Interchange, that interchange—it’s a real mall. The city, Streets of Tarkov—it’s basically a real city! The only thing we did was add narrative to it, and we made sure we couldn’t make all the buildings fully accessible. So we simplified them and created the game flow accordingly to the level design. We had to think about how to make the player’s paths interesting: so he’d go here, we’d have a quest here, something would be closed off here. We played around with various narratives, including some stories within the level design and environment art. The task for EFT locations wasn’t that difficult to understand—we just had to recreate reality. The Woods? Great! What would fit here? A sawmill! Perfect, let’s make a sawmill. OK, now we think, what do we do with the sawmill? It’s located here, like a clearing, all open—we need to add more woods around it. I remember I personally made the forest. It wasn’t something serious, where we sat down and thought about it deeply. It always starts with a simple hand-drawn sketch. And then people start refining it and making their own adjustments. But, as a rule, there wasn’t anything complex in the production of locations, especially in layout, grayboxing, and all that stuff, like, "we need to maintain some kind of crazy balance." The main thing was to maintain the balance of spawns and extractions so that everything would be more or less good. And practically every map layout started with a super simple hand-drawn sketch on paper! Equally spaced extractions, equally spaced spawns, “here we can have a school, here we can have a police station, and here we can draw something significant.” That’s it! Everything else came to life during the process. Head Animator Didn’t Come from Game Dev Did the head of Tarkov’s animation department, Kiba, work in game development? No, he didn’t. Yeah, he worked at a factory. He worked at a factory and thought it was a really cool job, he had prospects there. I don’t remember exactly what his profession was. There were some local events, like exhibitions. I don’t remember what they were called, I’ve completely forgotten. We presented Contract Wars, which was still single-player—we didn’t even have a network. We invited airsoft players, because he’s an experienced airsoft player too. The airsoft players had cool gear, we put them with guns at our booth. I remember he showed me some of his work in Ogre 3D (there’s an editor called that). He showed me his work, making some games. He’s into guns, into all of this. He liked the game because he played in tournaments for Contract Wars. I thought, we need him. But he didn’t know anything at all, absolutely nothing. I told him: “Come on, let’s go!” He asked his wife for permission, and that’s it, he started working with us. At first, he was doing modeling—I remember he modeled a PPSH for Contract Wars. Then he started doing animations, and now he’s already the head of the animation department. He understands guns, knows everything. More than I do, I’m sure. Pleasant Gunplay Is the pleasant feeling from shooting primarily created by animators? Well, not just them, because some animations—reloading, all those weapon handling, and switching mechanics—yes, that’s the responsibility of the animator. But the shots themselves, that’s procedural. All that recoil, that’s the programmers. It’s the responsibility of the gameplay programmer, the one specifically working on the recoil and shooting effects. Usually, I’d sit there with the programmer, and we’d work to make it more or less realistic and playable. Initially, the concept of recoil was completely crazy! You had to align the front sight and rear sight first, and then shoot. I even came up with a crazy system where, using the mouse and holding keys, you’d align the sights, and only then fire. If that were in the game now, I think only about 15 people would be playing it! It would’ve been fun to implement that concept in some real hardcore first-person survival game, where you shoot once every half hour. You’d find a shotgun, aim carefully, and fire manually. Because again, after shooting in real life, I realized that in the game, you aim easily, boom, and your front and rear sights are already aligned. But in reality, you have to aim, align the sights, and only then pull the trigger. Again, how you pull the trigger matters too. You can jerk it, and it will go left or right. I wanted to implement all these nuances in EFT, but I’m afraid it would have been unplayable. As a result, we introduced auto-recoil compensation and, overall, how long can you hold a machine gun in aim mode while standing? Not long at all! You can’t even lift it! I remember shooting with a PKM—it’s insane! First of all, shooting while standing is impossible, it pushes you back. And secondly, there’s nothing to grab onto! It’s just impossible. You can hold it with outstretched arms for, I don’t know, 10 seconds, and then you have no strength left. All this understanding of what it’s like in reality and how to make it better in the game came from direct experience. The coolest thing about shooting is when the mechanics work, using the special features installed on the weapon, and the sound. Sounds are a whole separate topic. We recorded all the sounds for real, blasting away in rooms, recording sounds with trauma pistols. We also traveled to shooting clubs, recording there, at ranges. It was interesting. There were no guides at all. Nowhere could you find a guide on "How to make shooting sounds like in Battlefield." You couldn’t! You listen to Battlefield and wonder how it’s done. Later, we figured out how they actually do it. Unity could never achieve what they do. But nonetheless, I came up with a whole system for rendering sounds through FL Studio. People are still using it, by the way. It's a cool thing. On Tarkov's Competitors Why are extraction shooters coming out more and more often, but there still aren’t any clear competitors on the market? I often see in various extraction shooters that are coming out now, they either completely copy us or simplify the concepts of Escape from Tarkov and extraction shooters to make the entry threshold lower or reduce the amount of suffering. But the point is in the suffering, on the contrary. The point is the dopamine you get from winning in a raid, roughly speaking, by surviving in a raid. That’s how it is, more or less. And another thing, we already have so much content, so much stuff in the game. All of this creates such a holistic picture, even though we don’t have an endgame yet. We're working on it right now, preparing various storyline quests and more. In some other extraction shooters, there’s not enough content. They launch the concept, which might even be a better version of EFT, but overall, it’s very monotonous: few locations, few loot items. To make a game engaging, you need to spend tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of man-hours. We've been making EFT for practically... how long? Dima, how many years have we been making EFT? 8 or 10 years now? The announcement was in late 2015. It's been a long time. We've been developing it for 9 years now. And it’s not that there’s no end in sight. Finally, the end is visible. But the volume of content is crazy! As I sometimes say in interviews, someday I’ll be able to reveal the budget of EFT, and it will be something incredible! Other companies are just trying to rush things, but that usually doesn’t work. Tarkov Unites Despite Everything Why, despite the periodic conflicts and disputes around Tarkov, does it still manage to unite players? I know for sure that Tarkov is important to everyone! Because whenever there’s a scandal, everyone starts talking about it! And to me, that’s a sign: “Damn, people care if they’re doing all this!” And they talk so passionately about me being an idiot?! So many people watched it, saying I’m an idiot. Well, hello?! Our community in Tarkov really loves scandals, loves drama. They have the opportunity to address me directly. Not face-to-face, but they can address it to someone, tag me on Twitter, add me there. Because they think I read all of it. Sometimes, yes! Sometimes they definitely cross the line, honestly. And not even in critical moments when there were some upheavals in the game, but just when someone gets banned. The main issue with haters is that many of them are banned players, and they are ready to do anything to destabilize you. Sometimes, of course, I do want to talk to such people. Sometimes they even want to talk to me too, yeah. They try to call me, and so on. Well, it’s kinda funny. Funny on the one hand, but on the other, of course, it’s not very funny. It all depends on the situation. If you’re sitting there in shock, overwhelmed, and then some guy starts writing to you everywhere, trying to get unbanned because supposedly they were banned for nothing, well yeah, your nerves can give in at some point. I don’t fully understand our community because sometimes it can be very harsh. Really harsh! Even cruel in some cases. How does it work? For the first five years, I didn’t understand how it worked at all. Because all these business practices, templates, management in game companies, they were never really applied to us. We always did it like this: we do something, something works, that means we did it right, let’s improve it. Let’s make it all more systematic somehow. And it all got better, better, and better. So, trial and error. And everything that worked became the foundation of our management paradigms, some kind of ideology even within the company. Again, if something worked, if it gave results, that means it was right. That means it works. So we won’t question it. We won’t refer to anyone. This is our thing; we’ll keep working this way. Something like that. Games that influenced Nikita Which game got you into development? It was a game that influenced me and led me to start working with modeling, texturing, sounds, and locations. I installed the Valve Hammer editor, the first one. I started making locations for Counter-Strike. I made our administration building, my ninth-grade city school, and another area for Counter-Strike. I remember I reworked the Assault map. When I was building those locations, I automatically started working with textures. Then, again, in order to find some examples of cool textures, I began disassembling, so to speak, unpacking various old, old games, looking at how everything was made. Well, yeah, that really got me into this direction. It was probably my first major experience in game development. Does being the face of the studio wear you out? Well, I don’t know. For some reason, I associate it more with, like, it’s my own project, my initiative, so to speak. That I’m responsible for everything that is being done in the company. And with the project, it’s my role and task. Especially in critical moments, to act as the spokesperson. Because, well, it’s hard sometimes, of course, yeah. It can be really tough at times. Even now, for example, I’m almost certain that someone is probably criticizing me harshly at this very second. Right now. And right now! And before, maybe I used to take it quite personally. Now, obviously, after many, many years, I kind of, well, don’t care much about it anymore. About what they think and all that. The haters, so to speak. I think it’s an important part, yes, of marketing too, PR, and all that. Like, I’m even doing this interview now because I saw the questions seemed interesting, and also I thought: "Yeah, it would be good to show up somewhere again." It's fine. Sometimes it bothers me. Sometimes doing streams bothers me because you understand that you need to say something fun in English and generally act like everything is great. But in reality, we’ve got crunches and madness going on here. Well, yeah, sometimes it’s tough, but overall it’s bearable. You can live with it. On writing music You write soundtracks for your games yourself. How did you start with music? Well, it’s a very old story. Basically, I have a musical education, and I was trying to write music back in 9th or 10th grade using all sorts of programs. I remember there was one called Dance eJay, a really ancient one. Music was part of my life in the sense that I was writing music for myself. I liked that I could sit or walk around and listen to music that only I had, music that was written just for me. And that was cool. I never let anyone listen to that music, never spread it anywhere. I just had it burned on CDs, and I would occasionally write new CDs for my Panasonic CD player. It was a long process, from ninth grade—how long has it been? 20 years, I don’t know. Then, at some point, I realized that music is a really good component of a project. I remember writing the soundtrack for "Street Wars," then for "Contract Wars." Then, I wrote the main theme for "Russia 2028," which later became the basis for the Escape From Tarkov soundtrack. And then I started writing soundtracks for EFT. EFT soundtracks are usually written in the same way: we need a trailer, so we need music. [Music] So I never really had a case where I wrote the music before the trailer. They always tell me: "Nikita, we’ve got a trailer. We need music." And I think: "Ah, come on! That’s not how it works! I can’t just sit down and write." So I start postponing it, postponing it, and postponing it. Then, I just sit down. Something takes over my hand, and I start writing. And in two days, boom, it's written. The last trailer track, the one that came out just now, for patch fifteen, I wrote in probably 3 hours, 3 and a half. Just like that—bam! And it's done, cool, I like it. By the way, I never thought that what I write is something special. It’s more like, I don’t know, just filler. Because all these emotions you're experiencing, you can somehow accumulate them into music. And together with the trailer, it all feels like a whole. It’s cool. I listen to a lot of stuff. If you take my playlist, or rather, Yandex Music or Spotify’s curated playlists for me, there’s everything in there. Rap, metalcore, classical music, jazz, synthwave... My God, indie... What was that? Time’s up? Let’s start over. I’ve got a lot of different music in there: rap, hip-hop, drum and bass, metal, rapcore, classical, jazz. Because I just love music. I love music. I remember writing dubstep when it was super popular. Hans Zimmer, obviously, with Modern Warfare—that’s a no-brainer. Metal Gear Solid, for sure. Unreal Tournament, of course, no doubt. A bit of everything. Music is like that. Especially in music writing, the more genres you’ve listened to, the more it shapes your ideas. Lately, I’ve been really into dance music. That’s why you can start seeing little hints here and there from modern dance music, melodies, or indie dance. Mods in Tarkov Will Tarkov become a platform for modding? We will have modding. We already have an offline mode, essentially. And we will add systems to it later. I don’t know when, but it's a cool thing. Mods are good! Modding is great for any game! Modding in EFT will also be great. Official EFT modding. Amazing! Nobody will ban you, everything will be fine. Mod away. But, of course, there will be some moderation system, obviously. Otherwise, there’ll be ponies running around with shotguns or bicycles appearing. Though, actually, it might not be so bad if bicycles do appear. I’ve seen these kinds of strange things, with these weird anime stuff. In Tarkov?! How did they manage to do that? Nobody knows. But, of course, we’ll be doing it. The modification system will be within the framework of the game’s concept. So, you won’t be able to insert CJ from GTA. Although, honestly, that would be pretty nice. Mods as Official Content Can mods become part of official content? Well, official mods, yes, of course, yes. Right now there are all sorts of mods, obviously not official ones. People often write in the comments: “Hire them!” Or like: “These guys made for free what BSG couldn’t do in 8 years!” I sometimes want to do this! But the specifics of game development aren’t as simple as they seem. People still think that I’m the only one making this game or what? We already have 200-something developers! Altogether, we now have over 350 people, probably. Serious things are happening. It’s not easy, it’s not easy. You can’t just… Some guy disassembled the game, which is actually a violation of the licensing agreement, by the way. He added something, it looks nice, it even works. But that doesn’t mean it will work within the entire ecosystem of the game. Or maybe it will work, but we don’t have time for that right now. We have a release plan, we have story quests. We’ve just added tripwires for you, to make your life even more fun, to make things even more painful for you! A person, of course, has the right to say whether we are doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Honestly, even a person has the right, in principle, to throw crap at me. I honestly don’t care. But if it makes them feel better, and as a result, they don’t direct that negative energy onto the street, or their family, and they become a little calmer—then I’m all for it, go ahead! Write comments, I don’t know, say whatever you want about me. In general, if it makes you feel better, then okay. But usually, most EFT fans are cool people, they support us. That’s the overwhelming majority of people. They think we’re cool, that we’re doing everything right. We love those guys who support us in every way. Because, again, if, for example, there’s a fan who has been following our work for many years and at least has some critical thinking, they’ll understand that no one has ever done anything like this! Again, because of the specificity of the game. A person who sat down to play in the evening, prepared for a raid for 45 minutes. Entered, got killed by a cheater. He’s like: “Ugh!” Spent another 45 minutes preparing, entered again—got killed by a camper. He’s like: “Ah, you!” Can I curse? Yes. I won’t. Anyway… And when there’s a person, whom you can sort of blame in person, by the way. Actually, no one has ever come up to me in real life and said: “Hey, you! What kind of crap have you made?” That would be interesting! I’d talk to them. I wouldn’t fight them, though. But that’s never happened. It’s clear: you die, you don’t get satisfaction, you spend a lot of time. Something crashes, there are inventory glitches from time to time. Of course, that’s unpleasant. Of course, after that, you don’t want to just relax. You might even want to bash someone’s head in! But then you win, and boom, euphoria! Killed Killa 100 times! And you look and think. What’s stronger? The destructive emotions when you want to dump on the developers and me. Or the positive emotions, when the person is just so happy that their soul rejoices. Of course, the latter! And let there be more such people, of course. But the nature of our game is not like that. Not everyone will leave happy, unfortunately. But for that, there is PvE. In PvE, you can leave somewhat satisfied, because, essentially, it’s a single-player with progress saved. You play, get some pleasure. And a lot of people, by the way, are playing in PvE right now. It turns out that a lot of people really want to play PvE, so that no one bothers them. Which, honestly, I don’t like! I want people to play PvP. Because that is, at least for me, confirmation that: “Wow! Damn, well done! Playing online, not afraid of anyone.” Battlestate Games Platform Your distribution platform is built around your own games, similar to how Steam was initially created for distributing Valve’s projects. Do you plan to push projects from other developers through your platform? Is there an idea of becoming a platform for developers from the CIS? There was no idea to make this platform specifically for developers from the CIS. But there is an idea to make it for the whole world as a platform for games like these! We have such plans. Hardcore games like these, where you suffer… No, not really suffer, but rather, where you can gain new knowledge or use your real-life knowledge to play the game more effectively! Essentially, it’s a platform where indie developers can work. Some kind of simulator, I don’t know, a hardcore car simulator where tuning is done not in the format of “you added something, and it gives you plus five speed,” but rather like in My Summer Car . Have you played My Summer Car ? Something like that, but with cool graphics. A simulator, basically. "A simulator of something"—there’s going to be that kind of a tagline. These are serious games, which can be very minimalist visually, but, for example, allow you to learn something new or use your existing knowledge and skills. In short, hardcore! The kind of games that not everyone plays, but everyone wants to play. Especially old-school guys who are still waiting for someone to remake the first Deus Ex . Yes, something for that niche. Games for those who want something intellectual and serious. Your Own Store Why didn’t you go with other stores? The main reason was that we didn’t want to give up 40%, plus we had the idea to figure this whole thing out and build our own infrastructure. To be completely independent. At that point, I was already tired of giving money, for example, to VKontakte. I just remember getting fed up with it, and I wanted to create something on my own. Reality and the World of EFT Don’t you feel like Tarkov is increasingly aligning with our reality? Yes, this topic has come up many times. People ask, “How did you know? How did this happen?” Honestly, I didn’t know anything. I just thought a lot about this topic and modeled what might happen in the future, considering the development of military technologies, potential conflicts, and such. How could things develop in the future? What will happen to big cities? For example, if there’s a siege system, a nuclear threat, and so on. I just tried to convey my thoughts through comments and guidance to the development team about what might happen. Of course, with some assumptions and artistic adjustments, so it wouldn’t look too dark and grim. The idea of simulating further disasters and chaos, which we’re now seeing happen everywhere, was always there. I understood where this could lead. Nothing good will come from it at all. So, we had to stop and introduce some more abstract, semi-mystical, semi-sci-fi elements. But still, there’s a narrative suggesting that things could have unfolded this way, and why not differently? Well, just because! The story of Russia 2028  doesn’t exist as a whole, written-out plot. The conflicts that will lead to a local nuclear conflict after EFT aren’t set where they are now. But one of them is in the Middle East, damn! And when things started spinning recently, I got a little uneasy because it’s all going to get worse from there. Worse and worse and worse. Nikita, let’s make the next game something positive... Nikita: Something positive, yeah? Well, yes! Bad Endings and Positivity in EFT At one time, I loved apocalypses, post-apocalyptic scenarios! I read an unreal amount of books. And post-apocalyptic films, for some reason, always appealed to me. This downfall of humanity, where everyone is equal, and the strongest survive, everyone dies. I don’t know why I liked it, but it always intrigued me. Not in the sense that I was ecstatic about it, but I found it interesting. When I was planning this world, in my world, too, the only option was: everyone’s screwed! Nothing good will happen! No matter how much you try, things will still go badly. I relied on that narrative for a long time because I knew that nothing good would happen. I love bad endings. I like bad endings. Have you watched the Raid  series? There’s a bad ending. Although, we revived it later. But here's the thing. At some point, I realized that, actually, there is a way out of this situation. There is a way! The idea that things could really get better is something I’m pursuing within the world of Escape from Tarkov  and Russia 2028 . There is a chance for a good future there. How do you understand this? Why, Nikita, can’t you just make a happy ending? The thing is, the world of EFT seems to live by itself. It feels like we are trying to fix this virtual world, this parallel reality. To do something there to create not necessarily a good ending, but some new hope, a beginning to bring something better. At least, now, I understand perfectly well that I can’t just make a happy ending. I have to make it so that it happens there naturally. To lead the story to a point where everything at least has positive prospects. And the main role in these positive prospects, the main driver of all of this, is the player! The player, through their actions, by escaping from Tarkov, has to create this metaverse where people want everything to turn out well. I’m just curious to see how players will complete the main quest. Because we will have many endings. And I’m just curious to see what people will choose, how they will play. For some reason, for Escape from Tarkov , this might be super-relevant, super-correct, and truthful information. Because you’ll have to put in too much effort and emotion into the game to just finish it and forget it. A person will try to choose something. Maybe not on the first playthrough, but later, they will certainly choose a path. And this path, in essence, defines you as a person in such a scenario that could happen in the future. If, in the end, most of the endings are good, then, first, it means that we have good people living in our world overall! And second, it means that in the world of EFT, there can be a good future too. Because sometimes I wonder about how we look at all of this and think, "How can we get out of this? How can we change all of this?" We need some miracle, some kind of miracle is needed. Maybe aliens will arrive, and we will all unite against them. Fight them or not. Or maybe something will happen that makes everyone say, "Oh my God, have we lost our minds? Let's not do this!" I don’t want it to come to that point. I want it to happen earlier. Games After Tarkov Will there be something like Russia 2028, or will you continue developing this concept? I don't know, honestly, I'm very tired of these military games. Specifically, I'm a bit worn out by them. In general, our veterans in the company are also getting tired. We now have fresh blood, they're all enthusiastic, they're all grinding, coming up with ideas. But I just want to release it all, get everything finalized. What's going to be next, I have no idea. I go through phases. Sometimes I have thoughts like, "I don't want to do anything anymore! I'm going to go fishing. I don't know, live in the forest." It all just fluctuates. Sometimes it's cool, sometimes it's exhausting, and I don’t feel like doing anything at all. But still, there are plenty of ideas on what to do, really! For sure, something will happen, 100%! I think about it sometimes, like I won’t do anything anymore, but no, no, no. By the way, a lot of people ask me, especially from the industry, when I start talking about how tired I am. They’re like, "What, you’re done? That’s it? Are you going to stop?" And I say, "No, no! I’m just tired right now. But in reality, of course, I’ll keep doing it, where would I go." I still need to manage to create something else interesting while I'm alive. I would really like to do a single-player game, honestly. Some sort of horror game, probably single-player. Or a remake of the first Deus Ex. If someone writes to me tomorrow saying, "Let's do it," I'll drop everything, goodbye! EFT closed, we’re making it in Unity with the same assets. No, of course not. The Impact of EFT Would you like to influence the future through art? Now this is turning into some kind of Nolan-esque theme here, that I'm trying to influence the future. But yeah, honestly, I would like to! Because when I was sitting and thinking through EFT, and when I'm sitting and thinking about the universe, which actually doesn't end with the events of EFT, it goes further and further, I just can't figure out: "How can we even escape from this situation?" It would take some kind of miracle for us not to destroy ourselves, to put it bluntly! And I'm trying to somehow, I don’t know, maybe redirect part of this into the game, in some way. It's hard to explain, really, what I'm trying to achieve. But I have a certain confidence that the existence of such a product, such a game in the world, is a good thing! Because maybe somehow, some person playing our game will rethink something. Maybe they won't project violence onto anyone as a result. Or somehow, it will play a role in their life simply because they will be enjoying the game, and feeling a connection to some world with certain professional qualities within the game, or something like that. Because I've seen EFT players. They are kind, good, decent people! I haven't seen any shady characters, all of them are solid, all are happy. Soldiers from different countries around the world. They all play, they all get along, shaking hands with each other. It’s damn cool when a game brings people together! There's probably a message in that too. It's very good that the game unites people. We don't restrict anyone at all, and we will never restrict anyone. Absolutely no one! If there was a way to avoid the different pings, it would be awesome if everyone could play within the same infrastructure. And there, for God's sake, if they argue, let them argue! But let it all take place in our world. Let all the violence manifest in the game, and as a result, people will just spend their time in it. That way, when they step into the real world, they'll have a clean feeling. Something like that. You can't clearly explain why and how this happens or what I believe in. But I just like it, at the very least, I've genuinely enjoyed it. When I used to participate in podcasts, I sat there with Americans, we all communicated on equal terms. It was cool! And we were all united by a love of weapons, a love of tactical games. There's no malicious intent whatsoever! We're just making a game, and we’re making it for everyone. And the more people play it, the more people enjoy playing it, and the more positive feedback we get - well, that's awesome. I think it's a success when someone comes up to you and says, "My life changed for the better because of your game." And how did it change? Well, you can listen to their story! Maybe they were depressed. A bunch of people have come up to me and said, "I was depressed, and EFT helped me cure my depression." How the hell is that possible?! I don’t get it, but it's awesome. Or PTSD! PTSD is also being treated: there are whole centers in different cities, in different countries, where soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder play EFT as part of their treatment. Awesome! Incredible! It's just amazing! I never expected this to happen. But it works, it makes a difference, and I feel like it's amazing. It wasn’t all for nothing that we’re doing all of this. For some reason, we've established this paradigm that a game is fun, a game is for enjoyment, a game should bring you joy. "I came home tired from work or school, I want to have fun, just play, because it’s fun-fun, la-di-da." Why this paradigm? I, for example, want to immerse myself in a world and I want to experience things! I remember playing the first Metal Gear. I was so invested, damn! And it was hard, that game was tough. Not because there was a lot going on, but because it was hardcore in terms of gameplay! And there were no saves. You had to reload constantly. Plus, I was stressed out. I played the game and experienced stress! And that was awesome! I finished it. There was a happy ending. Like watching a movie. But the happy ending wasn’t that simple. It depended on how you played. There would either be a happy ending or not. But I played it again! In short, it was a completely different experience. What’s happening outside of Tarkov? Everything that happens in Tarkov, does it affect the rest of the game's universe? First of all, there will be a quest. It will be called "Blue Fire." It will explain this whole thing about the electromagnetic situation. At the beginning of the conflict, the world, in general, is in good shape. The problems are only in Tarkov and the Norvinsk region. The problems started there! The world, in general, is on the verge of something unclear, with some conflicts brewing. There are related events in different parts of the planet. But the destabilization, the first signal, it starts in Tarkov. And there, yes, the electromagnetic explosion occurs, which the cultists call "Blue Fire." And in general, the locals call it "Blue Fire" as well. That’s all I can say for now. Why doesn't the story of the Russia 2028 universe have a happy ending? Why does it seem like everything is doomed? It's very simple. We have a very large planet. We have many countries. We have many groups. Many groups of different types. When total decentralization happens, and deglobalization of the world occurs, when any kind of hegemony or control stops existing, people will start to settle their differences. It will be countries, religious conflicts, radical groups of all sorts, old grievances. People will just realize: "Oh! What now? A new world! Now it's once again the rule of the strong. Let's go!" And they will start fighting. Well, the second principle is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. That's usually how it happens. And they will fight to the last, until the land is scorched. That's just the unpleasant nature of humanity. People realize too late that they need to stop. But they will probably stop eventually. But I don’t believe this will be the end, of course. In my world, obviously. In my world, there will be no end. In my world, things are much more interesting. But that's the principle. Humanity is still like that—just give them freedom, and they will start sorting things out. It's simple: we can even take ten people in a room. Leave them to live in a bunker for six months—they'll end up killing each other. Because they will start to get jealous, get angry—someone is better, someone is worse, someone is prettier, someone is stronger, someone has more power, someone just irritates others, smells bad, breathes wrong. Everyone will start fighting! Who is the main character in Russia 2028? The character in "Russia" is just a regular guy who is, simply put, trying to survive. His brother is killed. And his brother belonged to a group of people, the Norvinsk brigade, who were doing something like what Jedi did—restoring the remnants of humanity within the Norvinsk region. And all of that was forgotten because they became outlaws. I have direct analogies with the Jedi because I really like the Star Wars universe. And there, things are more complicated. And the main character, to be honest, doesn’t really care about the world, because the Messiah is actually a different character in the story. Again, I can’t say more because that would be weird. The concept is a bit different. The main character, meaning you, essentially, are just caught up in the whirlwind of events and, so to speak, within the universe you were born into and grew up in. All your ideals start to crumble because you realize that behind simple survival, there is something more. There's a backstory to all of this, and there are certain groups of people who, one way or another, are involved in it. And you, out of curiosity, start to unravel it all. Eventually, yes, you will feel like a hero, thinking, "I can shed light on all of this. I can save the remnants of humanity!" Because you are young, hot-headed, and, essentially, dumb! And wisdom comes with age and time. Wisdom comes through hardship and living through these difficult moments, so you become stronger and more powerful. This will all be presented somehow. If it ever will be, I don’t know. But some of the echoes of all these plotlines are already present in EFT. And they will also be developed in the story quests. The same unknowns, the Unheard storyline. It's a very, very, very large piece of the story. One that seriously sheds light on everything that's happening. Moreover, it even has some kind of parallels with reality. As I said, much of the story will become clearer with the story quests when they are in EFT. On Creating Game Worlds How do you come up with your worlds? Damn, that's a tough question! I've never had a situation where I sat down and created something step by step. For me, things have always come from something else. For example, I start thinking about a core concept, start working on something for it, and then I realize: "Oh! Got it. Here’s a company that’s been created, here’s a faction that’s appeared." And it all starts branching out and getting more detailed. This is probably the most enjoyable part of game development, or of working in the media industry in general—creating your own worlds. It’s awesome! But then, when you start processing it and forcing it into the framework of production, whether it’s for a movie or a game, that’s when the pain begins. You can’t do it alone because the workload is crazy. You start bringing in narrative designers, producers, and scriptwriters. And then problems begin, because you need to convey your vision to them in its original form so they can make all the changes you need. And that’s where the pain starts! Because you start clashing with other people’s opinions... they are creative too! They start trying to change things, and you try to limit them. And it's good if they understand you right away! If they don't get you immediately, then all kinds of collisions start, and your idea begins to suffer. And then the pain only gets worse and worse. Because you need to implement all of it practically, either in the game or elsewhere. And at that point, there’s no pleasure left at all. Because you've already come up with everything, and now your task is to make it all into a visual form, into a game or some kind of product—whether it's a movie, a series, whatever. And here’s where the risk comes in: you can make a mistake! In your head, everything is perfect, on paper everything is fine, but you lack the knowledge or experience to implement it in a product, whether it’s a movie or a game. And this is where most big projects go wrong: you see a great idea, but the execution is crap. Or vice versa, the idea is stupid, but the execution is superb. That’s like 90% of projects in general—both in games and in film. It’s great if we notice that almost all games and many series nowadays are recycling. Either they are sequels to games that were once interesting, or they are reusing ideas that worked well in other projects. There’s very little originality, very few new worlds that truly grab you and create a new subculture. Very few cool new worlds. Again, for old-school fans—take the Fallout series, for example. Everyone’s like, "Oh, cool, Fallout! I play Fallout! Oh, oh, oh!" What's new? Absolutely nothing. Battlestate Games' Universal Mission You mentioned that Battlestate Games has a "universal mission." What do you mean by that? Of course, we have one. Absolutely. Yes, we have a mission, yes. Everything we do, it's all good. I believe that everything we do is right for our world. The more people who can play our games, the less negativity there will be. The more opportunities people will have to find energy, talents, and other qualities within themselves. And it's not at all about the fact that our game is a shooter where you run around and shoot everyone. No, I have a lot of examples of people who have been inspired by us and our project. They’ve found energy to engage in their own activities that have nothing to do with shooting or anything like that. For example, streamers whose lives have improved. Just regular people who want to make games. Or people who are passionate about certain things but lacked motivation—they somehow found the strength to do it all. And the most important thing, the most important thing is that people get dopamine. And dopamine is exactly the catalyst for all the good things we can do in life. It’s not at all necessary for the game to be about something kind or good. It can be something where you release destructive energy and, in return, feel joy, pleasure, and happiness. And that’s cool. And the more of that happens, I believe, the fewer irritated and angry people there will be in life. On the contrary, it’s actually been proven that even aggressive games make people calmer. Providence and Creativity Do you believe that sometimes creativity is guided by something irrational, like a form of providence? Almost as if someone or something gives you signs or guidance? Irrational providence? It’s as if someone outside of you gives you hints. I pay quite a lot of attention to all sorts of signs, to these subtle matters. I generally believe that twenty percent of magic must always be present. You can’t just rely on rationality, even if you’re a super professional, even if you are super, super meticulous, precise, a by-the-book kind of person. Meaning, you know exactly how everything should be done. You need to leave twenty percent for magic. It can always intervene. And this magic, you can’t just describe it simply. It’s not magic like, I don’t know, some kind of wizardry. It's something that, in the context of a particular task or along your path, can direct you, shift you, have some influence on you—who knows? Maybe it’s crazy, but I believe in it. When you feel like you’re doing something right, something that’s necessary, maybe for the Universe, for example, then what difference does it make what you believe in? If you believe in it, and it gives you strength, then believe in it. The most important thing is to believe in something! So I believe in this. And, overall, I’ve had many situations where there’s no other way to describe it but magic. Not that a door closed in front of me, or that I learned to fly. But events sometimes unfold in such a way that it would have been impossible to set it all up. It would have been impossible to foresee the outcome. And in those moments, you realize, "Damn, something strange is happening. It means I’m doing something right." Or someone is trying to explain something to me, to give me a hint. It happens. Especially when writing music for trailers, or in some important moments or events. You just feel as if something is helping, I don’t know. It’s just more comfortable for me to believe in it. Because again, it’s better for me to believe. I think for any ambitious person, it’s better to believe in something. Otherwise, it would be pretty tough, I think.

Despite the skepticism of many, it seems that Battlestate Games (BSG) has genuinely entered a phase of optimization, bug-fixing, and improvements for Escape from Tarkov, in preparation for the final release (1.0). Also contributing to this positive change is the new Tarkov Community platform , which complements the in-game survey system for collecting player suggestions and feedback. It has been a long wait. For years, Escape from Tarkov players have been hoping for greater responsiveness from BSG towards the Community. However, perhaps the patience and resilience they have shown, as well as their passion for Nikita Buyanov's creation, are finally about to be rewarded . Below is a list of changes that have been implemented (Completed) or acknowledged by BSG and are currently in progress (Started), allowing you to keep track of the situation and stay informed. Paracord can now be placed in the Special Slot - Completed A long-requested feature that was recently highlighted by the Tarkov Community. Simple but highly impactful. Now, we can place the Paracord—necessary for certain extracts in conjunction with the Red Rebel Ice Pick melee weapon—into the Special Slot, preventing the risk of losing it upon death . Previously, players who wanted to avoid losing it had to store it inside the Secure Container, taking up two valuable slots that could have been used for other items. Notice: It was done in previous patches, but it's worth remembering that it's now also possible to store the ZiD SP-81 26x75 signal pistol  in the Special Slots , along with all reactive flare cartridges, such as the RSP-30 reactive signal cartridge (Green) , as well as the red , blue , and yellow ones. The ROP-30 reactive flare cartridge (White)  can also be stored in the Special Slot. Keys Container - Started One of the most upvoted suggestions on the Tarkov Community was immediately acknowledged by BSG, which has confirmed that it will be implemented. However, the size and capacity of this container have yet to be decided. Visit the X post by Sergei Domontovich, a Senior Game Designer at BSG, to thank him and answer his question about how many keys you think it should hold. Loot Buff - Started By popular demand from the Tarkov Community, the loot buff is now a reality! It may have already been in their plans, but this change was implemented immediately, increasing loot across all maps by approximately 20% (based on data miners' reports). Notably, the tag on Tarkov Community is "Started," which suggests that further changes are on the way . Bots AI Overhaul - Started As previously announced in another article on patch notes for Patch 0.16.1.3 , numerous changes and attempted improvements have been made to the AIs in Escape from Tarkov. Not everything has gone as planned, as some issues remain unresolved—such as AI interactions with doors and their ability to pass through them when closed, as well as through walls. However, certain aspects do seem to be functioning properly. I will soon be writing an article on this topic, as it is quite extensive. PvE - AI PMCs weapon durability increased - Completed Following a post on Tarkov Community pointing out that AI PMC weapons in PvE were always too damaged to be usable except in emergencies, YOWA, Lead of Game Design at Battlestate Games, responded: "PVE-PMC weapon durability 80-100% in start. We did this a couple of days ago. We will write more in the next patch. Thx for the feedback." Boss and guards loot durability increased - Completed After a post on Tarkov Community complaining that the weapons and armor of Bosses and their guards were too damaged and did not sufficiently reward players who managed to defeat them, YOWA, Lead of Game Design for Battlestate Games, responded: "All bosses have 80-100 weapon durability in start. The guards too. There were several guns and armors with lower durability, I raised them to standard. Thanks for the feedback." Stop the spin looting Scavs - Started A long-standing and very common bug (present for at least a couple of wipes): some Scavs spin in place while looting. This is not only visually unpleasant but also quite annoying in gameplay. YOWA, Lead of Game Design for Battlestate Games, responded, "In progress", indicating that they are currently investigating a solution to this issue. Player Scavs timing in joining raids - Completed Players frequently complained that Player Scavs could enter raids too early, causing issues for PMCs already on the map. As we know, this problem was recently resolved ( read the article about Scav Survey Report and Changes to know more). My Take As I have mentioned in other articles, I am very pleased with the shift in BSG's attitude towards the Community and the numerous changes and improvements made to Escape from Tarkov (and also to Arena). It is evident that, as the game approaches release, BSG aims to resolve as many issues as possible. Beyond the most well-known bugs, they seem more committed than ever to gathering player feedback and making adjustments to satisfy the community where possible. At the same time, it is also clear that BSG must defend their project from excessive changes that could distort their vision of what Escape from Tarkov is meant to be. This may be a source of frustration for some, but it is a necessary measure to prevent the game from transforming into something it was never meant to be—losing its identity and disappointing those who love its original features. Let me know what you think about this in the comments. There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!

A new community-driven platform called Tarkov Community has recently been launched, significantly influencing the development and direction of Escape From Tarkov and Tarkov Arena. While many initially believed it was an official Battlestate Games (BSG) initiative, the website was actually created and independently managed by a dedicated group of EFT Emissaries from the OCE region, known as the “Spicy Bush Team.” The portal was initially conceived as a way to track player suggestions, bug reports, and to facilitate direct communication between the community and developers . Despite being independently managed, Tarkov.community quickly attracted the attention and active engagement of Battlestate Games (BSG). Its community-oriented approach allows players to propose changes, engage in constructive discussions, and prioritize issues through a voting system . Recent community-driven changes implemented through feedback on the platform include adjusting the spawning times of player Scavs to 17 minutes into raids (excluding maps like Factory and Reserve), and removing the "Sawmill" map from Tarkov Arena . Additionally, discussions on the website led BSG to conduct an in-game survey to gather player opinions about weather conditions , especially regarding the rapid transitions between weather states such as sudden fog or heavy rain, though no direct changes have yet been implemented. Trentbraidner, one of the EFT Emissaries part of the “Spicy Bush Team” that created Tarkov Community clarified that the moderation and prioritization of issues on TC are handled independently by his team , aiming to provide an open and constructive space for player voices to be collectively heard through a voting system. Crucially, feedback and bug reports confirmed through direct communication with BSG are marked with official tags (Planned, Started, Completed and Declined), ensuring transparency, accuracy, and clear differentiation from community-driven ideas awaiting official acknowledgment. The posts on Tarkov Community can be filtered by these tags , allowing players to quickly identify topics of interest and clearly see which ideas have been accepted, are currently in progress, have been completed already or have been declined. Declined Developers feedback also provides valuable insights. For example, several suggestions like "PVE Clothes", "PVE needs to be reworked as a feature incomplete training mode," "Be able to customize PVE experience," "Increase Boss/cultist spawn chance in PVE permanently," have been Declined quoting a reply by appl3z0r, BSG Community Manager: "It's not possible to make mechanics in PVE different from PVP." This necessary uniformity between PvE and PvP was previously unknown and unfortunately invalidates many player suggestions and requests. Other responses provide valuable insights into the developers' philosophy and future plan s. For example, the suggestion to "Bring back the old PK-06" optic was declined because, as explained by BSG, "The PK-06 Is a shitty optic in real life, and Nikita wants to keep parity to that. The alternative is to use the Wilcox BOSS Xe." Another suggestion was asking to stop banning people for doing viewer kits was declined because "People are not bieing banned for doing viewer kits" also quoting Nikita that said "the principle is simple - if you will give millions of rouble price items and will do it often - you will get banned. if you want to just return gear from time to time - its ok" . This is a nice piece of information too, as many streamers stopped doing viewer kits being afraid of getting their viewers banned in doing so. Also many people were afraid to return kits to their friends that died in a raid, or to give gear in raid to less experienced friends in need of help. Clearly, it's also very useful to filter posts by the tags "Planned," "Started," and "Completed," to gather information on what BSG already intends to implement, what they are currently working on, and what has already been completed. Planned For example, we can see that "Provide more detailed after-raid combat statistics," "Lighthouse rework," and "Keys alternative – Lockpick / Breach" are all planned for the future. Completed Additionally, we learn that suggestions such as "Boss and guard loot should be full durability and good," "PVE – PMC weapon durability should not be the same durability as scav weapons," and "Paracord in special slot" have already been implemented based directly on community feedback. Started Regarding suggestions already in the process of implementation, there are interesting items such as "Buff the overall loot pool in raids," "No more spin looting scavs," "Complete Loot/Economy Rebalance," "Interchange loot Buff," "Fog and Weather," and "AI/bot/scav Visibility not equal to PMC visibility." Particularly noteworthy is the suggestion "Add container in stash & hideout for keys," which not only received a response on Tarkov Community but also had a follow-up post on X by Sergei Domontovich, a Senior Game Designer at BSG. He shared an initial concept for the key container and invited followers to provide input on how many slots it should include. BSG Responded and BSG Submitted The tags "BSG Responded," which highlight posts already addressed by BSG, and "BSG Submitted," indicating suggestions or bug reports forwarded to BSG for review, are also valuable for players seeking clear, official feedback. My 2 Cents This type of direct insight into developer intentions and decisions offers the community unprecedented clarity and involvement in shaping the future of Escape from Tarkov. The Tarkov Community platform marks a significant step forward in collaborative game development, empowering players with a robust platform to actively participate in shaping the game's evolution. In my opinion, this is another positive sign for the future of Escape from Tarkov, marking a clear shift from the past when BSG seemed less responsive to community comments and requests. It's one thing to submit a suggestion and not even receive a response. It's entirely another to receive even a rejection, but accompanied by a clear explanation of the reasoning behind it . There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov ! Stay up to date with the latest News , Tips & Tricks , and In-Depth Guides , by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage . New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial  section!