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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obviously, it depends on your budget. The first thing to know is that you can always upgrade from a lower edition to a better one . Since Escpe form Tarkov is a peculiar game that is either hated or loved, the usual advice is to buy the base version first and then upgrade later if you find yourself enjoying the experience and plan to dedicate time to it. Back in the day, I bought the base version, and I loved the game so much that after two weeks I upgraded to the Edge of Darkness edition, which unfortunately is no longer available. It used to cost 150 USD—a lot—but I never regretted the investment. Now that I have accumulated more than 3,000 hours of gameplay, even less so. It was definitely worth it. The Unheard Edition at 250 USD is quite expensive, and many players did not purchase it (and criticize those who do) because when it was released, there was controversy due to Battlestate Games’ unfair behavior (partially fixed, but never forgotten by the community). However, if you absolutely love the game and think you’ll accumulate thousands of hours of gameplay, it might be worth it. After all, how many games offer such great longevity? And how much does a typical "normal" game cost, offering at most 50-100 hours of gameplay? Just do the math… Additionally, the Unheard Edition includes the PvE mode and Escape from Tarkov: Arena, whereas in other editions, these modes must be purchased separately (costing 20 USD and 35 USD, respectively). The Unheard Edition also provides other advantages in terms of starting equipment, trader reputation, stash size, and more. I want to be clear— I’m not pushing you to buy the Unheard Edition . I’m just providing some food for thought and information to help you make an informed decision. As I previously mentioned, the great thing about EFT editions is that you can always upgrade later . You can start with the basic version and invest more as you grow to enjoy the game. By playing you will also understand better the advantages each edition gives you and how valuable and useful they are. I recommend visiting the official EFT website to check the exact differences between the various editions and decide which one suits you best.

That depends on what you're looking for in a game. Escape from Tarkov  is an incredibly intense , hardcore FPS with a steep learning curv e, brutal difficulty , and a strong emphasis on realism . The game does not help players in any way—there's no tutorial , many mechanics are left unexplained , and you’ll need to invest a significant amount of time researching things on the wiki or other sources to understand them. There are no in-game maps showing your position or quest objectives like in most other games. All of this is intentional, making Tarkov even more challenging and immersive for those who enjoy this kind of experience. If you thrive in games that require preparation, knowledge, and adaptation, you might love it. However, if you prefer more casual shooters or get frustrated easily by losing progress, it might not be the best fit. Reasons to play: Unmatched realism : Tarkov's gunplay, ballistics, and survival mechanics are some of the most detailed in any FPS. Tense, high-risk gameplay : Every raid matters, and success feels incredibly rewarding. Deep progression system : Skill upgrades, quests, hideout management, and an evolving in-game economy. Satisfying PvPvE : The mix of AI and real players keeps every raid unpredictable. Reasons not  to play: Steep learning curve : It’s notoriously difficult for beginners, and there’s no real tutorial. Harsh penalties for death : Losing your gear can be frustrating, especially early on. Time investment : Progressing effectively requires a lot of time and patience. Performance issues & bugs : Tarkov is still in beta, and occasional technical issues can be frustrating. Cheaters : Like all online games, EFT has its fair share of cheaters. However, due to the high-stakes nature of the game, where every raid can result in significant losses, encountering a cheater is far more punishing and frustrating than in standard FPS matches, as the stakes in each raid are much higher and losing valuable gear, progress, and the time invested to an unfair fight can be infuriating. My personal recommendation is to watch some gameplay first to get a sense of what the game is really like and whether it fits your taste. If you decide to give it a try, I suggest starting with the Standard Edition , as you can always upgrade later if you enjoy the game. E scape from Tarkov  is a game you either love or hate —there is rarely any middle ground. Players tend to either play for 10 hours and move on or sink hundreds, if not thousands, of hours into it. That was my case—after a couple of weeks, I was so invested that I upgraded to the Edge of Darkness edition (originally $150, but no longer available) and never regretted it. With around 3,000 hours of playtime, it definitely paid off.