How Escape From Tarkov Developers Destroyed Their Fanbase’s Loyalty

Escape From Tarkov, an online extraction shooter, promises a realistic and unforgiving experience, which it delivers for the most part. We embraced the challenge and spent countless hours navigating the lonely late streets of Tarkov, dodging tense firefights, and holding onto precious loot.

And then, Battlestate Games did something crazy that made all the fans furious, which even made me question their reputation and honesty which they built from the group up. They put a paywall on their most anticipated edition and jacked up the price to a whopping $250, resembling a common growing trend in the industry—cheap ways to make profits over customers’ needs.

Unheard Edition Is A Slap In The Face To Escape From Tarkov Players

Tarkov’s Unheard Edition, priced at a whopping $250, is a blatant cash grab. Funnily enough, it doesn’t grant access to the full game, as Tarkov is still in beta! For that price tag, players get an offline PvE mode, some stash space upgrades, and “bonus” in-game items. These items create a pay-to-win scenario that goes against the core tenet of Tarkov’s brutal fairness.

Instead of offering a sincere apology, Battlestate resorted to utter nonsense. They claim the Unheard Edition isn’t DLC but a “unique feature,” which, in my opinion, is a pretty dumb attempt to weasel out of EoD’s promise. Well, at least we aren’t buying it. Social media platforms are filled with outrage, and players are calling out Battlestate’s greedy and broken promises—rightfully so.

We have produced over 200 Tarkov shows but if you’ve wondered why we haven’t been as active as we once were it’s because we will not be railroaded into doing events that we don’t believe in.

What happened to the Tarkov community over the past week is what’s been happening to us…

— Evasion (@evasion_gg) April 29, 2024

This content was initially promised to those who purchased the “Edge of Darkness” edition. Marketed as the “all DLC” version for a hefty $150, it promised access to all future content. Now, those players are forced to cough up another $250 to access features they were promised.

Even major esports teams are joining the bandwagon. Evasion GG, a prominent Escape From Tarkov team, publicly criticized Battlestate’s business practices, mentioning “control issues” and a history of “broken promises.” This move from a major partner speaks volumes about the developer’s declining relationship with the Tarkov community.

Is The Unheard Edition A Pay-to-Win Trojan Horse?

Beyond the broken promises and the hefty price tag lies a deeper concern: pay-to-win. The Unheard Edition’s items are revealed on their official website, further fueling the pay-to-win allegations. If these items grant superior gear or increased health, it would completely shatter the delicate balance Tarkov is known for, turning the game into a contest of who spends the most money, not who has the most skill.

POPULAR OPINION – EFT unheard edition should be free to EOD owners
byu/DJankovic92 inEscapefromTarkov

Having an offline mode from the start would undoubtedly lessen the drama. While I understand it’s available now, the initial exclusion felt like a slap in the face to those who believed they were getting “all DLC.”
Battlestate partially caved after being faced with intense backlash.

However, their solution left many players feeling like they were being offered a Band-Aid for a bullet wound. Now, Edge of Darkness owners will get temporary access (6 months) to the PvE mode and other perks. This hasn’t quelled the anger.

Players want permanent access. Six months of access felt like a slap in the face. Players who spent $150 on the “all DLC” edition rightfully questioned why their access would expire while Unheard Edition owners enjoyed permanent benefits.

“Unheard Edition” is a disgusting amount of Pay to Win
byu/Dry_Mixture_257 inEscapefromTarkov

The temporary nature of the PvE access for Edge of Darkness owners also raised concerns about fairness for standard edition players. Would these players now face even longer queue times due to a smaller player pool?

Can Battlestate Regain Our Trust?

The future of Escape From Tarkov is quite uncertain. The Unheard Edition controversy has severely damaged the game’s reputation. Can Battlestate regain the trust of the player base? Probably not! However, at least a genuine apology and plans to address this issue could be the first step.

First things first, the Unheard Edition content should be available to Edge of Darkness owners. This is the bare minimum Battlestate Games can do right now. Also, they need to create a pay-to-win advantage and listen to player feedback instead of mocking them.

How to fix unheard edition
byu/HistoricalAerie5530 inTarkov

The Unheard Edition fiasco has fractured the Escape From Tarkov community. Longtime players feel betrayed by Battlestate’s broken promises. Newcomers are wary of a game with an uncertain future. Some players are holding out hope that Battlestate will redeem themselves. Others are looking for alternatives, migrating to games that prioritize fairness and respect for their player base.

Whether Battlestate can fix this situation is a mystery. One thing’s for sure: the Unheard Edition scandal has left a permanent scar on Escape From Tarkov. The developers have a lot of work to do if they want to win back the hearts (and wallets) of their loyal players. This will be a long and difficult journey for both Battlestate Games and the players. Regaining trust takes time and consistent effort.