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Battlestate Games is amending its plans for Escape from Tarkov’s $250 Player versus Environment (PvE) mode. The studio is backing down from its earliest decision to hide the mode behind a $250 paywall. Instead, it will make the mode available to everyone as soon as the game’s eight-year beta period ends.
The popular iconic extraction shooter saw the internet turn on it earlier this week after it was confirmed that it will release a $250 Unheard Edition. This immediately caused the fans to lash out, calling the studio out for adding pay-to-win mechanics to the game. At the same time, the original plan was to sell the exclusive PvE mode separately from the base game.
Most offended were the players who previously bought the Edge of Darkness Edition, a $140 standalone purchase or a $95 upgrade if you had a copy of Escape from Tarkov. The now-delisted bundle promised users access to all future DLCs and older content released for Escape from Tarkov.
In a statement on Reddit, Battlestate Games COO Nikita Buyanov confirmed the new PvE mode “is not DLC.” This is the studio’s way of explaining why Edge of Darkness Edition owners aren’t getting early access. Additionally, he reveals the mode’s server capacity is unable to support if Edge of Darkness Edition and Unheard Edition owners had access to the PvE mode anyway.
In the end, he’s basically saying that the studio is making the PvE mode available to everyone eventually because of the backlash. Until then, those who want early access will have to pay for it right now.
The pricing for the PvE mode is currently unavailable. However, Edge of Darkness owners will get a 70% discount if they want to buy the PvE mode. They’ll also receive a 50% discount for upgrading to the Unheard Edition.
When Will Escape From Tarkov Be Fully Released?
Back in December 2023, Buyanov revealed that the studio is planning to fully release Escape from Tarkov sometime in 2024. However, the studio could easily push the 1.0 update back to 2025 if it feels like it’s necessary for further polishing.
The still-ongoing backlash to its questionable DLC definition might affect the studio’s plans for Escape from Tarkov going forward.
Escape from Tarkov’s initial closed alpha launch was on August 4, 2016. The game entered closed beta a year later on July 28, 2017. It has remained in closed beta since.
Without a definitive release date for the full game, it’s easy to see why the internet has quickly turned on Escape from Tarkov and its developers.
