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Tarkov has plenty of ways to make us suffer, but every now and then the game finds a new trick to keep things interesting. Like when one of your legs is gone, you’re just hoping your painkillers hold out long enough to reach extraction — and suddenly your health starts dropping at twice the normal rate, or worse. What is going on??? Yeah, I know... it's a gigantinc PMC limping somewhere 🙄 A Reddit post titled “Was there a nail stuck under my boot? Look how fucking fast my health is draining while running”  recently caught my attention . In the video, the OP shows his health plummeting at an absurd rate just by running with his right leg blacked out  — not even both. As usual, some users jumped in with the obvious “that’s normal, you take damage when sprinting on blacked legs.” What they missed is that the damage was way higher than normal . To prove it, the OP later posted a second clip showing that under normal circumstances, running with a blacked leg drains HP much more slowly. The hidden culprit: Tarkov’s double damage bug What we’re seeing here is likely another manifestation of the infamous double damage bug . Already known in firefights, this bug occurs when the server, due to desync with the client , registers the same event twice. In combat, that means a single bullet can sometimes be counted as two hits. While running on blacked legs, it means each damage “tick” can be applied twice (or more) — draining your health at lightning speed. How it normally works vs. bugged We know that when a leg is blacked out, every step while sprinting (which is possible using painkillers) deals tick damage that gets redistributed across all remaining body parts . Normally, this is dangerous but manageable if you pay attention to your health indicator and stop in time. When the bug kicks in, though, the damage value of those ticks multiplies — and what should be a survivable limp turns into a death sentence . Fractures: the same story As you may know, leg fractures  can cause the same continuous damage while sprinting, the only difference is that the legs not being blacked-out will receive damage too. And yes,  the double damage bug can appear here too , causing the game client to apply more damage than it should. How to avoid dying to this bug Whether one of your leg is gone or just broken, keep your eyes open to see if you got the bug and are getting much more damage than normal. And if it is the case, stop and treat your leg wounds before you sprint again — or Tarkov will punish you in the most unfair way possible. Heal up, use a CMS surgical kit  to restore the destroyed limb, and apply a splint  if there’s also a fracture. If you’re rich enough to carry a Surv12 surgical kit , it will handle both at once — restoring the blacked-out limb and fixing any fracture in it. Just make sure to check the other leg as well: if that one’s fractured, the damage ticks will keep draining your health until it’s treated too. If you don’t have any items to treat the wound, your only option is to avoid running  and slowly limp toward the extract — saving your sprint for when it’s absolutely necessary. Watch the bug in action If you want to see the bug for yourself, check out the original Reddit post with the first video here: Was there a nail stuck under my boot? Look how fucking fast my health is draining while running And here’s the follow-up video the OP posted, showing the normal damage drain  without the bug: Comparison video – normal damage while running on a blacked leg

With today’s release of Patch 0.16.9.0 , a new questline from Mechanic has been added, called “Friend from Norvinsk.” Since it isn’t yet listed on the EFT Wiki, I thought it would be useful to put together this article with everything we know so far and keep it updated as new details emerge. At this point, it’s unclear whether this is simply a standalone questline or—more likely—part of the recently announced event. We’ll find out soon enough. ( UPDATE :  It has now been confirmed that this was an event questline created to ultimately reveal the release date of Escape from Tarkov 1.0 .) NOTICE: This article is still being reviewed and updated as more info are available either from me doing the questline or from other sources such as the EFT Wiki, the EFT Wiki Discord or other content creators or streamers doing the questline. The questline is split into multiple parts: 12 quests from Mechanic  and 1 quest from Fence , which initially appeared to be the start of a separate chain but, for now, has no continuation. Mechanic: Friend from Norvinsk - Part 1 Friend from Norvinsk - Part 2 Friend from Norvinsk - Part 3 Friend from Norvinsk - Part 4 Friend from Norvinsk - Part 5 Breathing Room Game Review - Part 1 Progression Difficulties - Part 1 Progression Difficulties - Part 2 Game Review - Part 2 Last Spurt - Pioneer Game Review - Part 3 Fence: External Interest UPDATE:   While writing and updating this article, the EFT Wiki team has also updated their pages with the latest collected information. I’ve added links to the different parts of this quest chain, so you can get more details, maps and screenshots there too. Questline info The questline appears to revolve around a hacker known by Mechanic, along with information he may have uncovered during his time working as a hacker for the military. Friend from Norvinsk - Part 1 (Mechanic) Part 1 takes place in Reserve. You need to scout three locations and then extract successfully . Note that you don't need to do all the objectives in the same raid with a successful extraction. You just need to find the three locations and perform a successful extraction, but you can die (or extract if you need to) at any time while trying to complete the quest and continue from there . Let's see the four steps needed to complete the quest. Scout the command bunker offices on Reserve - these offices are the same offices you need to scout for "The Bunker - Part 1" . In this other quest, they are called "The control room". Follow the link to see all the details on the Wiki. EDIT: It's not the same offices you need to scout for "The Bunker - Part 1". It's another office in an adjacent room. See the map below. Command Bunker Offices - Map by Jindouz (thanks for the great maps, Jin!) Scout the medical building commander's office on Reserve - these offices are located in the ground floor of the White Bishop building, in the south-west corner of the building. See the map below for the exact position. Medical building commander's office location Scout the educational building offices on Reserve - these offices are located in White Queen building on the first floor, on the north side, looking the medical building (White Bishop). See the map below for the exact position. Eductional building offices location Survive and extract from the location - self-explanatory. You need to extract from Reserve successfully to complete the quest. It's important to know, thought, that if you die (or extract if you need to), progress won't be reset . You don't need to scout all the locations and extract without dying in the same raid to complete the mission. You can die in between finding the three locations, or even after finding them. But until you manage to successfully extract from Reserve, you won't be able to turn in the quest. WARNING! - This part is fairly is easy but the objectives areas are heavily camped! I think I did a good job explaining what to do and included clear maps to help you find the spots. Still, you can also check the EFT Wiki page for Friend from Norvinsk – Part 1  by clicking this link . Friend from Norvinsk - Part 2 (Mechanic) The second part is located in Shoreline and asks you to complete 2 objectives: Locate ad obtain anything that could help with the investigation at the Health Resort on Shoreline Hand over the found info The quest description is very "criptitc" and doesn't give any substansial clue to follow. Luckily the friends at the Escape from Tarkov Wiki and their community are working hard to give use the solution to the riddle and on their Discord I found the details needed to complete this second part. What is clear from the quest description and objectives is that what we need to do is to go to Shoreline, at the Health Resort and get an item at a precise location . The precise location is an office located in the East Wing of the Resort, ground floor . Inside the office you need to look for a couch in the southern side of it (away from the window) and point your weapon towards it and the pillow that lies on the eastern side of the couch until you get the clue dot and the option to pick up something that lies onder it. It's a golden phone . UPDATE: The golden phone can be found in different locations . You can see them all on the EFT Wiki page for Friend from Norvinsk - Part 2 . Check it out. Look at the map below to see the exact location of the office and of the couch inside it. Part 2 objective location WARNING!  - as for part one this location too will be heavily camped! I think I did a good job explaining what to do and included a clear map to help you find the spots. Still, you can also check the EFT Wiki page for Friend from Norvinsk – Part 2  by clicking this link . Friend from Norvinsk - Part 3 (Mechanic) Part 3 description is a bit less confusing than the one for Part 2. Even though it doesn't give clear instruction and doesn't tell us where to go exactly (it says "any location" in the upper right corner of the quest page), by following what the description says and the objectives required to complete the quest, we can find some more indications. "Hey, so I'm going through his phone now. It's not a walk in the park — he specializes in encryption, he knows what he's doing. But I might have a clue. I found mention of a diary in his notes. Seems like my friend had a hunch something was gonna happen. A Moleskine diary, he always carried it with him. We need to find it. If you don't find it at the resort, that means the Scavs have probably snatched it already. I suggest you walk along the shore and "ask" the locals. Maybe someone will have it. You know how it is in Tarkov." It also lists the following objectives: Eliminate 15 Scavs Obtain any information on the diary from the Scavs (Optional) Locate and obtain Mechanic friend's diary Hand over the found item Eliminate 15 Scavs - This can be done in any location Obtain any information on the diary from the Scavs (Optional) - While looting dead Scavs, you may come across a kind of “treasure map” that shows where to find the diary. The map points to a church that appears to be located in a lake — clearly a reference to the flooded church in the Scav Village in Woods. This step is optional, but you’ll likely find the map while completing the objective to kill 15 Scavs, as long as you loot them. (Which I strongly recommend anyway, since Scav loot has been significantly buffed lately.) Locate and obtain Mechanic friend's diary - The diary can be found around the flooded church in the Scav Village in Woods. It has a number of different spawns wich are both inside and outside the church. While I was updating this article, The EFT Wiki for this quest has been updated and you can now find the screeshots of the different locations on the quest page  (click the link to go there and check the possible spawns). Location of the flooded church WARNING!  - as for part one and two, this location too will be heavily camped! Hand over the found item - You need to successfully extract after picking up the diary and hand it to Mechanic. Friend from Norvinsk - Part 4 (Mechanic) To complete this part, all you need to do is deliver a set of computer parts to Mechanic to help speed up the deciphering process: Hand over 2 found in raid PC CPU Hand over 4 found in raid RAM stick Hand over 3 found in raid Printed circuit board or Microcontroller board You can find most of these parts (except the Microcontroller board) on any map, but Interchange  is the best choice since it has plenty of PCs to loot. Streets of Tarkov  is another solid option, though it may be riskier and it's larger, so it can take more time to navigate. Still, if you prefer Streets over Interchange, it’s a valid alternative. Microcontroller boards , however, are much harder to come by. They only spawn in The Labs  or The Labyrinth , making them much more difficult items to obtain. Fortunately, you can turn in the much easier-to-find PCBs  instead. That said, if you often run Labs or Labyrinth raids, you might already have a surplus of Microcontroller boards. As mentioned for the other parts, the EFT Wiki is now updated for this quest too, so you can check their informative page too if you want . Fun Fact:  The quest picture actually shows Nikita , seen from behind, while sitting at a desk and looking at a computer. Friend from Norvinsk - Alternative Solution (Mechanic) If after 24 hours you haven't completed Friend from Norvinsk Part 4, you will get this quest automatically. Mechanic offers you to pay 1M Roubles as an alternative instead of finding the PC components for Part 3. You can choose to pay this amount of Roubles or simply complete Part 4. If you complete Part 4, Friend from Norvinsk - Alternative Solution will fail (with no consequences) and you will get Friend from Norvinsk - Part 5. If you complete Friend from Norvinsk - Alternative Solution, Friend from Norvinsk - Part 4 will fail (with no consequences) and you will get Friend from Norvinsk - Part 5. Here is the EFT Wiki page for Friend from Norvinsk - Alternative Solution . Friend from Norvinsk - Part 5 (Mechanic) (30 min wait) Objectives: Figure out the cipher and hand over the found item (Optional) Locate the place mentioned in the cipher (Optional) Stash the copy of the diary in the specified location Things to know about this quest: There’s a 30-minute wait after completing Friend from Norvinsk - Part 4 or Friend from Norvinsk - Alternative Solution before this next stage becomes available. Starting with this quest, things get a bit weird and complicated . It took quite an effort from The EFT Wiki community to figure out what was needed to be done to complete this and the next parts. The dialogue from Part 5 says: "With your help, I figured out the decryption way quicker — both in the phone and the diary. Just one last issue. I managed to extract a strange phrase: "Diary. wvyglv. oiphxifq: sbb onfz qulve. rgx: ssemddvyl" . This is clearly a Vigenère cipher. It needs a key, but my friend didn't leave it anywhere in his notes. We'll have to figure it out ourselves. Here are some copies of the diary. I'll keep the original for now. If you lose it, you can have another one from me. Just don't overdo my generosity." The strange phrase "Diary. wvyglv. oiphxifq: sbb onfz qulve. rgx: ssemddvyl" is decrypted by using the key "Unheard". With it you can get the following decrypted message: Diary. Circle. Location: you know where. Add: flammable. The encrypted phrase has been decyphered by content creator and stramer Onepeg by realizing that the rewards from the previous questline parts gave us the materials needed to build the Cultist Circle in our hideouts. This led him to think about the fact that the Cultist Circle was introduced and is included with the Unheard Edition of Escape from Tarkov. So he tried the word "Unheard" as the key to decypher the Vigenère cipher... and it worked! Well done Onepeg and thanks! An easier way to get to this was by reading the description of the item Programmer's Diary , which states: The first page has a table of contents: • U pdate • N otes • H ighlights • E ncrypt • A genda • R uminates • D rafts As you can see, taking each word initial, the word "Unheard" is formed. The reference to the Cultist Circle, along with the deciphered phrase, explains (more or less, not sure how they figured out the sacrifice receipt, I guess they noticed the word "flammable" and tried different fuels, etc.) what you need to do next. You need to have the Cultist Circle built in your Hideout to further progress with this quest line. As part of the Initial Equipment when you accept Part 5 you get the Programmer’s Diary (Copy) . After accepting Part 5 you can also buy additional copies of it from Mechanic LL1. You’ll need to sacrifice three items at the Cultist Circle : the Programmer’s Diary (Copy) , an Expeditionary fuel tank (flammable), and a Zibbo lighter . In exchange, after 1 minute , you’ll receive a Disk with unknown data . (This sacrifice becomes available only after accepting this quest.) You need to hand over to Mechanic the Disk with unknown data . EFT Wiki page for this quest Breathing Room (Mechanic) Mechanic doesn’t have time to analyze the Disk, as he’s swamped with weapon orders. To help him, you’ll need to build an IWI UZI with the specified stats . Once the build is complete and you turn in the weapon to Mechanic, the quest will be finished. You can find the exact request from Mechanic, along with the required parts to modify the IWI UZI, on the corresponding EFT Wiki page for this quest . Game Review - Part 1 (Mechanic) Mechanic returns the Disk to you, now renamed Disk Drive 1 , and asks you to check its contents. You need to do this by using Rest Space level 3  in your Hideout. If you haven’t built it yet, you’ll first need to gather the required items to construct it. Once Rest Space Level 3 is ready, access it in your Hideout and insert Disk Drive 1  into the provided slot. By doing this you'll find start playing a game on the Rest Space TV. It's some kind of text-based RPG called "Targard Tales". Here’s how Tbdead, a user on the EFT Wiki Discord, described the steps needed to complete the quest : “To complete the quest you need to visit the battlefield at the start and get the ring from the dead soldier. After that, talk to the woman in the village first; she will tell you about the elder. But before visiting the elder, speak to the man beside her and buy a sausage. Then go to the elder and distract his dog with the sausage. The elder will ask you for a favor — the ring. Give it to him , and once you start talking to the soldier at the gate, the quest will end.” After this, go back to Mechanic to complete the quest. It appears that you will hear the usual "quest completed" tone , when you get to the right point in the text-baed RPG game. In the meantime, OnePeg has also released a video explaining this part of the questline. Check the link to jump directly to the section where he covers the Targard Tales part: Friend From Norvinsk Step By Step Guide - Escape From Tarkov New Questline UPDATE: Now the EFT Wiki page for Game Review - Part 1 is available Progression Difficulties - Part 1 (Mechanic) Mechanic asks you to give the Disk Drive 1 back to him. Do it and complete the quest. Progression Difficulties - Part 2  (2 hours wait) This part unlocks 2 hours after completion of Progression Difficulties - Part 1. You need to craft and hand over a Decrypted intelligence folder to Mechanic. When you accept the ques t, the craft for Decrypted intelligence folder at Intelligence Center level 1 gets unlocked. To complete the craft, you’ll need to collect several  Thumb drive with military data  and decrypt them at your Intelligence Center Level 1 . These thumb drives can be found by looting almost any type of container across all EFT maps. The decryption can fail so the exact number of drives you will need is unknown. But since the letters to decrypt are 11, the minimum number of drives you need is 11. So you may need 11+ drives to complete the decryption. Once the decryption is completed you will obtain the Decrypted intelligence folder and you can hand it over to Mechanic. Now the EFT Wiki page for Progression Difficulties - Part 2 is available Game Review - Part 2 (Mechanic) Mechanic gives you back the Disk Drive 1 and asks you to further explore the game disk's content. You need to use the disk at the Rest Space level 3 again and play the text-based RPG "Targard Tales" on the TV more. Now the game plays differently because by decrypting the intelligence folder you now know the password: "Tetriandoch" (you don't need to remember it). Here is a video by content creator Fr0styo which explains what to do from the beginning of the game to get to the quest completition. Please leave a like and a comment to the video on YouTube and subscribe to Fr0styo channel to thank him. After exiting the game you can complete the quest at Mechanic. Now the EFT Wiki page for Game Review - Part 2 is available . Last Spurt - Pioneer (Mechanic) You need to find a second disk on Reserve, called Disk with release version . It appears that the disk can spawn in 4 different locations on Reserve. You can check the possible spawn locations in the Last Spurt - Pioneer quest page on the EFT WIki along with maps and screenshots. Once you find the second disk, you will need to turn in both the Disk drive 1 and the Disk with release version you just found on Reserve. Now the EFT Wiki page for Lat Spurt quest is available . Game Review - Part 3 (Mechanic) This is the last part of this questline. Mechanic gives you the Disk with release version you've just found in Reserve and you have to place it in the Rest Space level 3 and play the text-based RPG on the TV again. Once you do that you can complete the mission at Mechanic and you get the Targrad Tales  achievement. Now the EFT Wiki page for Game Review - Part quest is available . External Interest (Fence) Obtainable after accepting Friend from Norvinsk - Part 5 . This looks like a bonus quest, with no other quest linked to it or unlocked by completing this one. You just need to buy a Programmer's diary (Copy) from Mechanic and hand it over to Fence. Now the EFT Wiki page for External Interest quest is avaialble . My 2 Cents This was a long and complex questline that brought a large part of the EFT community together across different Discord channels, collaborating to solve each stage. Special thanks to the EFT Wiki team  for updating the quest information as soon as it became available, and a big shoutout to everyone who contributed  — whether by helping solve the quests, searching for objectives, posting screenshots, comments, or tips on the EFT Wiki Discord channel and across other platforms. Events like this highlight just how much potential EFT has for the future . Questlines of this type are relatively simple to implement yet can provide a huge amount of fresh content, greatly extending the game’s longevity. EFT itself is already a strong foundation, but at the moment it also often feels like a collection of missed opportunities . Hopefully, BSG will be able to fully realize the potential of what they’ve built. Escape from Tarkov 1.0 Release Date Announcement A fter the questline was completed and the first players got the Targrad Tales  achievement, BSG released a new video acted by Nikita himself, in which, along with various scenes and details, it is shown the date 15.11.2025 . Initially the EFT Community unanimously decretated that this is the date for the final release of Escape from Tarkov and the end of the Closed Beta phase. Later on, n ot only the Community but also Nikita himself declared it's the final release of Escape from Tarkov 1.0 date on his Twitter account . NOTICE: This article is still being reviewed and updated as more info are available either from me doing the questline or from other sources such as the EFT Wiki, the EFT Wiki Discord or other content creators or streamers doing the questline. Sources and Resources for info and details about the questline and how to complete it: EFT Wiki - Friend from Norvinsk - Part 1 page . Start here and check all the parts of the questline using the link you can find on this page that gets you to the next part. Glorious_E YouTube VOD of his stream from yesterday , where he attempted to complete the questline as soon as servers went up. He didn’t get through all the parts, but it’s a solid reference to see what to do up to Friend from Norvinsk – Part 5 (link should start the video at the moment he finally manages to login and start playing. If not the right moment is at 6:31:02). Onepeg's video: Friend From Norvinsk Step By Step Guide - Escape From Tarkov New Questline . This one is much shorter than Glorious_E’s VOD, less entertaining but more detailed and explanatory. It also goes further into the questline, reaching the “Game Review – Part 1”  quest.

After completing Chemical Part 3 from Skier, players unlock three simultaneous quests: Chemical Part 4 (Skier), Out of Curiosity (Therapist), and Big Customer (Prapor). All three require the exact same task: locate and mark a chemical transport vehicle on the Customs map with an MS2000 Marker. Mark the vehicle, survive the thirty seconds of “please don’t shoot me while I’m crouched in this dark corner,” and extract alive—boom, objective complete. All three quests are ready to be completed. But here’s the catch: you can only choose one trader. Picking one automatically fails the other two. So, who do you sell your soul to? Let’s break it down. The 3 Quests Once you accept the Chemical Part 4 quest from Skier, you obtain two other quests. Out of Curiosity  from Therapist Big Customer  from Prapor All three quests are identical in objectives. The only thing that changes is who you ultimately turn it in to. The job: find a vehicle carrying a box of chemicals marked with strange symbols, on the map Customs . The location: inside Warehouse 4, near the Smugglers’ Bunker (the old ZB-1012) extraction point. Look for a van with a big metal pole sticking out of its engine—kind of hard to miss. Slap the MS2000 Marker on the back, pray nobody domes you during the 30-second timer, and you’re done. See the three quests, and all the details, at these links that lead to the EFT Wiki: Chemical Part 4 Out of Curiosity Big Customer Elements of the Choice Sure, you could make this decision based on sympathy  for one of the traders, or who seems like the “good guy” if you’re role-playing a moral compass. But let’s be honest: Escape from Tarkov is a brutal survival game set in a merciless hellhole. Nobody here is “good”. You’re not an angel: you’re a mercenary. So the smart choice? Cold, hard pragmatism. Rewards and penalties. Now, about those penalties. Choosing one trader will nuke your reputation with the other two : a flat –0.25 each. That’s not pocket change. In theory, you would need to grind it back with several quests, but in reality, Nikita tossed us a bone: each “betrayed” trader has a specific reparatory quest  you can do to mend the relationship. Some are laughably easy. Others are absolute torture. Let’s check the damage. Rewards & Consequences Choosing Therapist ( Out of Curiosity ): 7,700 XP +0.04 Therapist reputation 170,000 roubles Injector Case Reputation loss: -0.25 with Skier and Prapor Choosing Skier ( Chemical Part 4 ): 6,500 XP +0.04 Skier reputation 35,000 roubles Grenade Case Reputation loss: -0.25 with Therapist and Prapor Choosing Prapor ( Big Customer ): 8,100 XP +0.03 Prapor reputation 200,000 roubles 6B2 body armor (Flora) + 2x Ammunition Cases Reputation loss: -0.25 with Skier and Therapist The “Apology” Quests Skier:   Loyalty Buyout  → Hand him 1,000,000 roubles. Ouch, but doable. Therapist:   Trust Regain  → Deliver four specific keys found in raid . Absolute nightmare. Prapor:   No Offence  → Give him 10 M67 hand grenade (not required to be FiR). Easy: not difficult to find in raid, or buy them straight from Peacekeeper (barter) or the Flea Market. The Choice → Out of Curiosity Most players, when they put down the role playing compass and pick up the calculator, end up siding with Therapist. Why? That beautiful little Injector Case . It fits inside your Secure Container, takes just one slot, and holds nine injectors . It’s basically tactical performance-enhancing drug storage on demand . Bring whatever you need (healing stuff, painkillers, stamina boosts, increased strength, bleed stoppers) and if you’ve got empty slots, stash any injectors you loot mid-raid, especially the rare expensive ones. This thing pays for itself in both survival and profit. By comparison: The Grenade Case saves stash space. Big deal, but you can just buy it cheap later. The Ammo Cases are nice for stash Tetris, sure, but again, no real impact on gameplay. Injector Case = life-changer. The others = glorified IKEA boxes. Penalty and Reparation And here’s the kicker: the “make-it-up-to-them” quests massively favor siding with Therapist. To fix Prapor:  Hand him 10 M67s. Easy peasy: loot or buy. Not FiR required. To fix Skier:  Pay 1 million roubles. Painful if you’re broke or stuck in a Hardcore wipe, but realistically grindable. To fix Therapist (if you betray her):  Deliver four specific keys found in raid.  Translation: RNG torture. Or, if Flea Market is open, pay inflated prices because every other poor bastard needs them too. And if Flea is closed like it is now for the Hardcore Wipe? Have fun running 200 raids. In short: choosing Therapist gives you the easiest reputation recovery path . Choosing anyone else saddles you with the Therapist key-quest nightmare. Other Possible Choices Of course, there are edge cases where betraying Therapist might make sense. Lore/roleplay reasons: you hate Therapist, you hate doctors, you simp for sketchy Skier, or Prapor reminds you of your dad and you could never disappoint him. You already own Injector Cases (plural, you loot-goblin). You already have the four Therapist keys ready to go. You desperately need stash space for ammo or grenades and can’t get the cases otherwise. But honestly? These are fringe cases. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they’re bad excuses . Let’s be real: unless you’re cosplaying a moral compass or doing some weird loyalty run, Out of Curiosity  with Therapist is the clear winner . You get the Injector Case, you avoid the therapist’s insane key grind, and fixing your rep with the others is relatively painless. So yeah, Therapist is the “least bad” option. Welcome to Tarkov, where even the best choices feel like a scam. ____ 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!

This is a question I often see asked because many players worry about starting to play Escape from Tarkov  when a wipe is already underway , knowing that those who started earlier will be better equipped and have an advantage, or because they are afraid that they won't have any chance to beat the more experienced players they will encounter. Yes, it’s always a good time to start — no matter when. The truth is that any time is a good time to start playing EFT because the learning phase is long, and in the beginning, it won’t make much difference whether you're at the start, middle, or end of a wipe —you’ll get killed many times, and not because others are ahead or have better gear. Of course, at the start of a wipe, the gear situation is more balanced among players, but that won’t be your main problem . Your challenge will be not knowing the maps, how to move, where to find loot, and so on. So the answer is always: yes, it’s a great time to start playing EFT because your first wipe will always serve as a learning phase (and like most players, you'll probably need more than one) . Take it slow, study the EFT Tutorial  I’ve prepared for you , which is packed with useful information and an effective learning method that will save you time and frustration. You’ll need patience and resilience because the beginning will be tough, but if you push through the initial struggles, I promise you’ll soon get rewarded (though the frustrations will continue—Tarkov is a place for tough men and women!). Encountering experienced players EFT doesn’t have a matchmaking system, meaning players of all levels and experience will share the same maps (with the only exception being Ground Zero— read more about it here ). This can be quite punishing for newcomers, making for a frustrating experience at times. However, it's also a feature appreciated by enthusiasts of this genre of "hardcore" games. In short, you will die a lot—but you’ll also learn a lot from encounters with experienced players. Fortunately, it's always possible to team up with more seasoned players. Many veterans are happy to help inexperienced "Timmies" and teach them the tricks needed to survive.

Cheating in video games is often portrayed as a harmless shortcut for those unwilling to play by the rules, but in reality, it can open the door to serious security risks. In Escape from Tarkov, as in many other online games, cheat software doesn’t just threaten fair play—it can compromise your entire system. From identity theft and stolen cryptocurrency wallets to persistent malware infections, the dangers extend far beyond a simple game ban. Disclaimer: I am not a cybersecurity expert. The information in this article comes from various reports and news sources found online. If you notice any inaccuracies, please contact me immediately or leave a comment below so I can review and correct them. A few days ago, I wrote about content creator Joeydope, who attempted to use cheats to gauge the scale of the cheating problem in Escape from Tarkov . That article inspired me to write this piece. In the video describing his experiment, he explains that installing the cheats required disabling several security protections on his PC. He compared the feeling to “taking the locks off your front door and hanging a sign: gullible idiot inside.” That uneasy feeling is justified: history shows that cheat software often hides malware, steals identities, usernames, and passwords, and can even target cryptocurrency wallets . Let's examine how using cheats means lowering your computer’s defences and why it is so dangerous , with real‑world cases where players risked much more than just being banned from a videogame. While this may seem like the right punishment for cheaters—those lacking the integrity to realize that cheating is for losers and the backbone to face their opponents on equal terms—the dangers are serious, and the consequences significant enough for me to feel compelled to address them. How cheats are installed Cheats are easy to find, with third-party sellers offering subscriptions to tools such as wall-hacks, aimbots, radars, and market bots . Cheat authors exploit the fact that anti-cheat systems verify game files and driver signatures, using it as an excuse to persuade users to lower their defences . Cheat installation guides routinely instruct buyers to disable Windows Defender or third-party antivirus and to turn off Secure Boot, Memory Integrity (HVCI) and sometimes Hyper-V—changes that allow unsigned kernel-mode drivers to load and dramatically weaken system defences (often neutralizing them completely) . Cheats frequently load a kernel‑mode driver and communicate with remote servers . Players must run installers with administrator privileges (which give the installer full permission to add, change, or remove any files or settings on the system), disable User Account Control prompts (UAC), and sometimes install certificates or registry keys. This combination of elevated privileges and disabled security creates a perfect environment for malware to hide. Why disabling protections is dangerous Windows Defender monitors drivers that load at the kernel level. Stopping the wdfilter service, uninstalling antivirus software, and turning off Secure Boot allows any program with administrative rights to install unverified drivers . Memory‑integrity protections like Hypervisor‑Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) prevent unsigned drivers from running; disabling them removes that safeguard. Secure Boot verifies that nothing malicious is injected during the boot process; turning it off leaves the system exposed to bootkits and rootkits. Cheat developers exploit these gaps, loading drivers that hide their presence from anti‑cheat software but can also act as backdoors. When cheating goes wrong: documented cases One might think that, aside from the questionable ethical choice, using cheats is simply a way to have a little fun at the expense of those who play seriously and work hard to defeat their opponents. A joke, an apparently harmless prank, carrying only the risk of being banned from the game. Nothing can go wrong, right? Until it does. The following few of many documented cases show how cybersecurity researchers have proven that installing cheats is extremely dangerous: EvolvedAim (Escape from Tarkov)  – CyberArk and CyberInsider found that this paid Escape From Tarkov cheat doubled as an info‑stealer. It started multiple threads, two of which were disguised as innocent processes and silently exfiltrated passwords, browser cookies and cryptocurrency wallet files . The malware began stealing data even before users entered their licence key to activate the cheat and sent the loot to a Mega account via Discord webhooks. Trojan.Scavenger in mods and cheats  – Doctor Web documented ‘Trojan.Scavenger,’ malware disguised as mods/cheat tools distributed on shady websites that contacts C2 servers, tampers with browser protections and replaces extensions to steal password-manager credentials and crypto-wallet keys. RedLine variant in Cheat Lab –  A BleepingComputer investigation found that cybercriminals re‑packed the RedLine info‑stealer as a demo of a cheat called “Cheat Lab.” The malware promised a free copy of the cheat if victims shared it with friends. RedLine is capable of harvesting passwords, cookies and cryptocurrency wallet data. Victims were lured by messages saying the program would unlock after sending the installer to a friend. Fortnite data‑theft cheat  – Malwarebytes researchers uncovered a fake Fortnite wall‑hack that delivered a small 168 KB executable. When run, it enumerated system details and then posted browser session information, cookies, Bitcoin wallets and Steam session data to a server in Russia. XtremeRAT in backdoored mods  – Cisco Talos observed multiple campaigns where backdoored mods, patches and “tweaks” distributed via YouTube tutorials or Discord channels installed the remote access trojan XtremeRAT. Once installed, XtremeRAT can exfiltrate documents, log keystrokes, capture screenshots and record audio. The malware authors used Visual Basic cryptors and shellcode to evade detection. Stargazers Ghost Network (Minecraft)  – Check Point Research uncovered a distribution‑as‑a‑service operation that used fake Minecraft mods and cheat clients to deliver a multi‑stage stealer. The malware attempted to steal Minecraft account tokens, Discord/Telegram tokens, VPN credentials, cryptocurrency wallets and Steam data, infecting over 17 000 systems. Blitz malware in Standoff 2 cheat packages  – Unit 42 researchers found that the Blitz malware was distributed through backdoored cheat archives. Running the included executable quietly downloaded a Blitz downloader and then a bot that can log keystrokes, capture screenshots and even launch denial‑of‑service attacks. The cheat also dropped a Monero cryptocurrency miner. Baldr stealer in Apex Legends and CS:GO cheats  – In 2019 Sophos researchers reported that hundreds of players trying to use cheats like “CSGO Aimbot+Wallhack” and “Apex Legends New Cheat 0.2.1” were infected with Baldr, a credential‑stealing malware. Baldr harvested credit card information, Amazon and PayPal login credentials, and accounts for major game platforms. Aurora cheat remote access trojan (Apex Legends)  – A removal guide from PCRisk warns that the “Aurora Cheat” injector for Apex Legends actually drops a remote access trojan that logs all keystrokes, giving attackers access to banking passwords, email accounts and other credentials. These examples span several years and different games, but they share a common pattern: the promise of an unfair advantage and easy wins, combined with the excitement of breaking the rules, lures players into turning off their security and running untrusted software. In each case, the cheat either hid a stealer or installed a remote access trojan, leading to stolen identities, drained wallets or compromised computers. Safety tips and conclusions Never install third‑party cheats (or mods from unverified sources).  Many cheat sellers operate anonymously and have no incentive to protect their customers. After all, how can you trust someone who makes (tons of) money selling ways to cheat , well aware of causing harm to honest players by ruining their fun, and inflicting economic damage on game developers, whose products are compromised, whose customers are left dissatisfied, and who must spend vast amounts of money, time, and energy trying to close the loopholes that cheats exploit to work? Do not disable antivirus, Secure Boot, firewall settings, memory‑integrity protections, User Account Control, intrusion‑prevention systems, phishing protection, or any other built‑in security features for a game.  If a tool requires turning off any of these security features, assume it is attempting to install malware. Keep your system and software up to date  and use reputable security tools. Running trusted anti‑malware and enabling features like memory integrity makes it harder for malicious drivers to load. Use two‑factor authentication  and monitor your accounts. If you suspect a compromise, change all passwords, especially for your email, gaming platforms and financial services. Remember the ethical and practical costs.  Cheating not only ruins the experience for other players but exposes you to serious cyber‑risks. Installing a cheat in a video game might seem like a harmless shortcut, but it’s not — not to others, and not to yourself. If you don't care about others, at least look out for yourself. To avoid becoming another cautionary tale , resist the temptation of shortcuts and keep your defences intact. Some cheat developers, of course, claim they have no interest in putting malicious software into their cheats and harming their own customers, as it would risk losing them. While that might be true for a legitimate business, the same logic doesn’t apply to cheat developers . They can gain enormous benefits from the illicit activities tied to cheats — far beyond any losses caused by dissatisfied customers leaving. And they can rely on the fact that there will always be plenty of “gullible idiots” eager to win easily, even at the cost of cheating and risking being cheated and harmed themselves. Bonus warning While researching for this article I found out that  malicious software has also been found in Steam games – In July 2025 BleepingComputer reported that a threat actor called EncryptHub compromised the early‑access Steam game Chemia. Malicious binaries were injected into the game files, including Fickle Stealer, which harvests browser‑stored credentials, auto‑fill data, cookies and cryptocurrency wallet data. This is not the first and only case of infected Steam games , as you can read in this article from Malwarebytes Labs . ____ 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!

In the never-ending debate over just how many cheaters stalk Escape from Tarkov, content creator Joeydope decided to ditch speculation and run his own field test — one that involved crossing a line most players wouldn’t dare step over. What he found could challenge some long-held assumptions in the community. Content creator Joeydope  has recently discovered a foolproof way to lose his Escape from Tarkov account forever: running “for science” experiments with cheating software. Not only was his main account — with seven years of history and digital memories — wiped out in an instant, but now any new account he tries to create gets instantly “nuked” before even reaching the menu. Yes, we’re talking about a hardware ban : a one-way ticket out of Tarkov. Some might say he’s finally managed to “escape” Tarkov for real… but he would have gladly avoided this kind of escape. How It All Started Eight months ago, Joeydope decided to put an idea to the test: finding out how widespread cheating really currently was in the game. The inspiration came from the infamous video “The Wiggle That Killed Tarkov”  by creator g0at — a piece of content every EFT veteran knows — in which g0at installed and used cheats to spy on cheaters and estimate the scale of the problem. In the end, his conclusion was that in EFT about 60% of raids contain cheaters . A sensational figure, but in my view, unrealistic and based on too small a sample: just 125 raids. Content Creator g0at Joeydope wasn’t convinced either and decided to replicate the methodology : use a secondary account, install cheating software (going through PC protection disabling steps that, as he put it, felt like an invitation to have his digital soul stolen), and use it not to kill, but to observe players and spot suspicious behavior. A sort of David Attenborough documentary, except instead of penguins he was tracking PMCs and scavs. After a few initial tests, however, he shelved the project : part of the recordings had been lost, suspicious behaviors didn’t lead to solid proof, and continuing didn’t seem likely to give a truly representative picture. The Plot Twist On August 9, 2025, Joeydope tried to log into his main account: permabanned . He tried with a friend’s account: instant permaban  before even entering the game. He created a new account: banned immediately . That’s when he realized he’d been hit with a retroactive hardware ban , most likely tied to his experiment eight months earlier. At that point, since the damage was done, he decided to release the video with all the results. The Results: Surprising Numbers In the video, Joeydope shows various raid scenes while using cheats, stating that in about 50 raids  he found only one confirmed cheater  and two or three suspects . That’s an estimated 2–3%  of raids with cheaters — a massive difference compared to the famous 60% from g0at’s video. Joeydope is clear: the 50-raid sample is too small to be scientifically valid. For a proper analysis, you’d need at least 300–400 raids, if not more. While explicitly stating that he doesn’t believe g0at was lying in his video, Joeydope also points out that if his own test is scientifically invalid, so is g0at’s — given that g0at’s sample size was only about a third of what’s needed for reliable data. Joeydope also suggests possible explanations for the gap compared to g0at’s test: A significant improvement in the cheating situation by BSG over the last two years (which he considers very unlikely). Differences in cheater presence between NA servers  (used by Goat) and EU servers  (used by Joeydope). Simple luck — or bad luck — in encountering obvious cheaters. Being killed before identifying them. Why I Don't Like g0at's Take As you might have guessed, I never liked g0at’s video and the hype it created. 125 raids are far too few to declare Tarkov overrun with cheaters. The video felt made to cause chaos and, above all, to rake in engagement — and thus monetization revenue. Rest assured, like Joeydope, I don’t think g0at was lying — more that he framed things in an opportunistic way. Fair play to him for seizing the opportunity, but the content seemed designed to ride on BSG’s already poor reputation and make it worse, flooding the community with toxicity, without caring about the consequences. To the point where I almost stopped playing myself. Then I realized my reaction was to what I saw in the video , not my actual in-game experience: I was still enjoying myself, and while the problem was annoying, it wasn’t nearly as bad. At least on EU servers. The Glass Half Full Setting aside opinions on the two videos, there’s one thing I’m happy about: this incident proves that BSG does issue hardware bans to those who use cheats. Until recently, many claimed this wasn’t the case because Nikita supposedly had a financial interest in keeping anti-cheat loopholes open — or even a direct profit from cheat sales. Now we know hardware bans really do happen , and the defenses are stronger than many believed. They’re not a final solution — they can be bypassed — but they make life significantly harder for cheaters, which is the only real weapon developers have to fight a phenomenon that will never disappear entirely. The Moral of the Story Trying cheats can, rightly, be costly. Whether you do it with malicious intent to gain an unfair advantage, or with more “noble” purposes — which, in my view, still don’t justify using cheats — such as studying the phenomenon or even trying to fight cheaters and protect honest players like some kind of modern-day superhero, the outcome can be the same. The hardware ban doesn’t forgive. It can be bypassed, but it’s not as simple as buying a new copy of the game, and it might require spending money — and not just for a new EFT account. A hardware ban is enforced by recording and storing several unique system identifiers, such as the serial numbers of the motherboard, CPU, storage drives, network card, and other hardware signatures. These values, often combined and hashed, are checked on every connection to detect login attempts from already banned systems. Circumventing such a system would require replacing or modifying multiple components and ensuring the new data remains consistent—an operation complex enough to be far beyond the reach of most of those who can’t understand that cheating in a game is for losers and who lack the backbone to face the challenges of Escape from Tarkov. You can find the full video by Joeydope: I have been permanently banned from Tarkov ____ 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!

Is Tagilla haunting your dreams? Waking up at 3 AM in a pool of sweat because Factory’s number one hammer-swinging maniac was chasing you down screaming in Russian? Yeah, I’ve been there, buddy. No worries—I’ve got the cheese strat for you. You know how Tarkov guides are usually 20 minutes of waffle before they get to the point? Not this one. This is quick, dirty, and borderline bullying. Straight from a YouTube short by Pestily. Here’s the Pestily-approved method: Leg meta.  Forget center mass—just shoot his legs. Kneecaps, shins, toes—whatever’s easiest (2-3 shots can be enough, even with a pistol). Tagilla usually  runs off to heal , which is what Pestily was expecting in the clip… but sometimes he just decides to start healing right there on the spot. If he runs, follow him.  Like a shadow. Like the IRS after unpaid taxes .  If he stays, even better—you don’t have to chase. When he’s locked into that healing animation, swing around and pop  him in the back of the head . No helmet there. No mercy. Loot his corpse. Admire your handiwork . Yeah, sometimes other players will ruin it, but in PvE? This is practically bullying. Now go farm that Tier 6 armor and flex on Scavs like the absolute menace you were born to be. And remember—thank Pestily. Or thank me. Preferably both. Watch the clip below to see Pestily pull it off ____ 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? 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 : Press and hold the interaction key a few seconds (default is F ) to initiate the transition phase. Item Delivery 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. As with the BTR, the number of items you can send to your Hideout during map-to-map transit in Escape from Tarkov is not fixed — it depends on your Scav Karma (Fence Reputation) level: -0.99 to 0.99: 3x4 slots 1.00 to 1.99: 4x4 slots 2.00 to 2.99: 4x4 slots 3.00 to 3.99: 4x5 slots 4.00 to 4.99: 4x5 slots 5.00 to 5.99: 5x5 slots 6.00 and above: 5x5 slots 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", or pressing ESC, 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. If you move away from the transit area before the countdown finishes, the transit is aborted — but you’ll still be bound to use a transit to exit the map. Regular extractions will no longer be available. However, you can still use other transits, if any are available on the map you’re in. If you return to the transition area — whether the same or a different transit — the countdown restarts from 30 seconds. Transition to the other map : After the usual queuing and loading screens, you will spawn in. Note:  If you had any blacked limbs before transitioning, they will be restored to their full health pool. This applies even if you had already used a surgical kit to fix them. You will still need to heal the limb afterward. This is because surgical kits only restore limbs partially, with a reduced maximum HP. After transitioning, the limb's maximum HP is fully restored, but any missing health must still be manually healed. Consequences of interacting with the transit point No Return : Once the countdown has started, you can't go back to the item delivery 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" UPDATE:   With Patch 0.16.6.0, released on April 24, 2025, the interaction mechanic for transit zones has changed. Instead of a simple click, you now need to press and hold the interaction key, making it harder to activate the transit by mistake, but it still possible. You know that when something can go wrong, it will (especially in Tarkov!). 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 with the transit. UPDATE: With Patch 0.16.6.0, released on April 24, 2025, the interaction mechanic for transit zones has changed. Instead of a simple click, you now need to press and hold the interaction key, making it harder to activate the transit by mistake. 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!

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. UPDATE 4 - 16/04/25: I’ve stopped searching for Scavs at Old Gas Station in PvE because the results were too inconsistent, and lately I’ve been playing more PvP than PvE. That said, I wanted to report that a couple of days ago, during a PvE raid on Customs, I was approaching Old Gas from ZB-1012 and got attacked by a couple of Scavs coming from Old Gas Station. So they do  spawn there . However, as BSG mentioned on Tarkov Community (see the screenshot I shared in the previous update above), Scavs tend to look for loot or get attracted by gunshots or other sounds, which means they often end up eventually moving away from Old Gas. UPDATE 5: The patchnotes for Patch 0.16.6.0 state: "Improved the mechanics of peaceful behavior of regular bots. Now they will patrol the areas required for tasks for longer and leave to roam only after some time. This change applies to the following tasks and their objective areas", so I tested that by running several raids on Customs and can confirm that the issue with Scav spawns at Old Gas has been addressed. While Scavs don't appear in every raid, I've encountered them in roughly 6 out of 10 runs . Typically, you'll find 2 to 3 Scavs per raid, so completing the quest will still require multiple attempts—but significantly fewer than before. ____ 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!

Are you tired of roaming the maps of Escape from Tarkov hoping—sometimes praying—to find that elusive boss, only to come up empty-handed? Or worse, running into them exactly when you’re least prepared? Well, things just changed. Big time. The bosses of Escape from Tarkov  are truly a bunch of merciless scoundrels . Not only are they often brutally difficult to fight, but they seem to follow the infamous rule: "If I need them, they’re never there. If I don’t need them—or worse, hope they’re not there—they’ll show up without fail and annihilate me without mercy." That’s why their spawn rate is a hot topic in the community. For some players (the ones trying to avoid them), it’s way too high (especially in PvE). For those actively hunting them (for quests or for the loot and exp), it’s never  high enough. Unless, of course... it hits 100%. Yesterday, on May 10th, BSG shared the image you see above on Escape from Tarkov’s  social media channels—a polaroid photo featuring Reshala with the word “weekly”  written in the corner. It didn’t take long for the EFT community— led by content creator VeryBadSCAV on X —to connect the dots. This seemed to reference a suggestion made about two months ago on the Tarkov Community  portal , where a player proposed: “Have bosses spawn on maps 100% during a weekly rotation.” The suggestion had already received a reply from YOWA, Lead of Game Design for EFT, on April 1st. Since May 10th, it has been marked as “Completed”  and includes an update from TrentAU, the Community Lead of the Tarkov Community  portal, as shown in the image below. Shortly after, this theory was confirmed in-game: Reshala is now spawning in every raid, marking the official start of a weekly rotation system where one boss will have a 100% spawn rate on their respective map. How Long Does the Rotation Last? As confirmed in this Reddit post by TrentAU the initial plan was for this 100% spawn rate to last only over the weekend. However, BSG later updated the settings, extending the duration to the entire week —right up until the following weekend, when it will be another boss’s turn to rule their map. Will this system really continue next weekend? We’ll have to wait and eventually see who is the next Boss. For now... It’s just you and me, Reshala. I’m coming for you! What do you think about this new feature in Escape from Tarkov ? Let us know 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!

BSG is continuing the mission promised by Nikita in a recent interview to make 2025 a “large-scale collaborative project between developers and players.” They’re actively implementing many of the suggestions posted by players on the Tarkov.Community portal. And one of the most requested—and long-awaited—changes has just arrived. One of the most criticized and unpopular aspects of Escape from Tarkov has always been the ability of certain Bosses and AI characters to walk completely silently , without making any sound. The only way to detect them was to hope they stepped on vegetation, which would produce the typical rustling sound. This not only made them feel unbalanced , extremely difficult (and often impossible) to spot and counter, but also highly unrealistic in a game that prides itself on realism—albeit with some fair and necessary exceptions. But as of today, that’s no longer the case: Tarkov.Community Strikes Again! Today, May 14, an official response from YOWA, Lead of Game Design at Battlestate Games, was posted on Tarkov.Community regarding the suggestion to remove silent walking from all AIs: Removed silent walking for BirdEye, Shturman, Partizan, and Cultists. They should now walk about 20-35% quieter than the rest. So, while these AIs will remain slightly quieter—around 20-35% less noisy than other AI characters in Escape from Tarkov— they will no longer be completely silent . Here is the link to the post on Tarkov.Community. The EFT community welcomed this news with great enthusiasm, not only because this controversial and much-hated feature is finally gone, but also because it’s yet another clear sign that BSG is willing to listen to player feedback and actively address the game’s most problematic issues—issues that often reduce the enjoyment and overall fun of Escape from Tarkov. What do you think about this change? Share your thoughts 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!

The long-awaited rocket launcher has finally landed in the game, bringing with it a blast of destruction, new quests, and a whole lot of boom. In this article, we break down how to get it, what it can do, and why it might change the battlefield forever. We made it, folks! After several months of waiting since it was first announced, the RPG—or more precisely, the RShG-2 72.5mm rocket launcher —has finally been added to the game with Patch 0.16.6.0, and is now available for players to obtain. The first hint of the rocket launcher’s arrival came through the "Art of Explosion"  video released by BSG and Nikita on social media and in the EFT launcher. How to Obtain the RShG-2 72.5mm Rocket Launcher To get it, you’ll need to complete the The Art of Explosion  quest, which is given by Prapor  once you reach level 33  and have completed the  Granadier  quest. The quest requires you to eliminate any 35 targets while using grenades  or grenade launchers (underbarrels included). Once completed, you’ll be able to purchase the RShG-2 from Prapor LL4 , one unit per trader reset (plus you’ll get one as a quest reward). You can also obtain three more  by completing the  Fearless Beast  quest, which is given by Jaeger . "Fearless Beast" is the final step in a chain of 5 quests  that starts with   Fight Back , which unlocks at level 10  and after completing  Aquaintance . Early Field Tests & What We Know So Far Naturally, the most hardcore players (and those with the most free time)—especially streamers—rushed to complete the required quests and claim the long-awaited "tube" , immediately setting off to blow up Scavs, Bosses, and other players. One of the first was streamer Willerz , who gathered a group of followers in an offline co-op raid to conduct tests. Here’s what they discovered: The hot gases from the backblast can damage the user  if the RPG is fired near a wall or fired vertically, causing the blast to hit the player. The backblast does not appear to harm players behind the shooter. UPDATE: I've seen another video by Airwingmarine and the blackblast killed a player behind the one shooting the RPG. So backblast DOES harm players behind the shooter and in Willerz test there was probably a bug (my theory is that the guy behind was too close). The explosion does a lot of damage , but: The blast radius is relatively small —smaller than I expected—possibly a balancing decision to prevent it from being overpowered. The damage can be inconsistent . When Willerz fired at a group of followers, one survived completely unscathed, even though they were all close together. When his followers stood in a line, the first and last died , but the ones in the middle took no damage. When firing a rocket straight up at 90° , it never came back down. The BTR vehicle cannot be destroyed or damaged by rockets , even after being hit multiple times during testing (apparently, the devs made it out of disappointment-proof material). Check The Videos I recommend watching Willerz’s video —it’s both informative and hilarious (and hey, give it a like to support one of the first players to get and test this new weapon of mass destruction): THE RPG GOT ADDED to Escape from Tarkov! Streamer SheefGG  also made a video showcasing some RPG gameplay and additional testing (and show some love for him too): RPG UNLOCKED (NEW EVENT AND QUESTLINE) My Take To be honest, my first instinct is not exactly excitement about this new weapon. It feels too powerful and will inevitably be abused by griefers looking to ruin someone’s day. That said, let’s wait and see how things evolve before jumping to conclusions. After all, tripwires  and other mechanics like mortar strikes were also met with skepticism at first, but turned out to be not so bad after all (or not even used by players). What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you've already tried the rocket launcher, how does it feel—and how do you think it will affect the game? ____ 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!

I recently stumbled upon a Reddit post from a player asking, “Did I get Tarkov’d?” The night before, they had several million rubles, but when they logged back into Escape from Tarkov the next day… their stash showed zero rubles. That’s right: zero. Gone. Vanished. Did they get Tarkov’d? Spoiler alert : Nope. He didn’t get Tarkov’d. What actually happened is this: the night before, after running a few raids, the player started organizing their stash. They moved items around, rearranged some cases, and made good use of the Pin  and Lock  features to fix certain items in place before hitting the auto-sort button. Unfortunately… they also locked all of their ruble stacks. That’s when the trouble began. By locking those stacks, the game flagged them as "untouchable" and — more importantly — invisible to the stash counter . So, mystery solved. For once, it wasn’t a bug, and it wasn’t Nikita’s fault (or anyone at BSG’s, really) — except maybe for not warning players about this little side-effect of using the lock feature on money. A Useful Story: Use "Pin" instead of "Lock" Some players might roll their eyes and think this is common knowledge. Maybe it is. But I honestly had never thought about it — and I bet (or hope) I’m not the only one. So, what can we learn from this? If you want your cash stacks to stay in place when using the stash auto-sort, pin them . Do not  lock them. Otherwise, they'll become unusable and won’t show up in your stash counter anymore. That said, locking your money can still be useful. It’s a good way to set aside savings  — protecting part of your funds from being spent or accidentally used. It's like building a rainy-day fund right in your stash. In Escape from Tarkov, it's easy to lose money unintentionally. You misclick on the Flea Market and buy an entire stack of items instead of just one. You don’t check the price and buy something someone’s price-gouging like a madman. You list an item with the wrong number of zeroes — or even worse (and easier to happen), the wrong currency. Think: something worth 2,000 rubles being listed for 2,000 dollars. You try to list a stack of items as a bundle, but forget to check the “list as a pack” box — turning your intended total price into the price per item , losing millions in fees. By locking your money stacks and only leaving a portion accessible, you can protect yourself from these mistakes — or at least avoid going completely broke because of them. What do you think?  Has something like this ever happened to you? Got any other money-management tips for surviving in Tarkov? ____ 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!

As announced yesterday, this morning — April 29, 2025 — Battlestate Games rolled out a new Technical Update with Patch 0.16.6.0. This patch had already been teased by Nikita during the latest TarkovTV, when he unveiled BSG’s roadmap for the rest of 2025. By comparing the roadmap to the patch notes, we can see that nearly all the planned features for Patch 0.16.6.0 have been delivered, with the exception of the “Shoreline audio improvements,” which are not mentioned in the patch notes. As for the in-game event  slated for May 2025 and originally expected to be included in this patch, it isn’t mentioned either — but it might still be included and activated later, once the time is right according to BSG's internal schedule. Lighthouse Among the changes, fixes, and improvements included in today’s Patch 0.16.6.0, one of the most important is without a doubt: “Optimized the performance in various areas on Lighthouse.” Since its release back in December 2021, Lighthouse has consistently suffered from major performance issues caused by poor optimization — issues that can challenge even the most powerful CPUs. Players have been waiting over three years for a fix, so let’s hope this time the optimization is solid and truly makes a difference. AI Behaviour Adjustments The second most noteworthy aspect of Patch 0.16.6.0 is the overhaul and tweaking of AI behavior — aimed at making AI more balanced and preventing them from performing frustrating, unrealistic actions. Most notably: “Readjusted the aiming mechanics of AI PMCs, Raiders, Rogues and regular bots to reduce the frequency of headshots in the following situations.” While it’s always been plausible that bots, like players, can land lucky or precise headshots, the frequency with which this happens — especially under absurd conditions — has long been a sore point for players. This patch specifically reduces headshot chances in scenarios such as: At distances over 100 meters While the AI is moving Right after finishing a sprint During power slides When changing stances (e.g. standing to crouch/prone and vice versa) Note: This adjustment does not apply to bosses , and Zryachiy  is explicitly excluded from the 100-meter headshot reduction. Additionally, Scavs  (regular bots) now have a generally reduced chance to land headshots — regardless of the situation they’re in. The patch notes also clarify: “At very close range the AI accuracy remains the same as before.” So don’t let your guard down — bots are still dangerous up close. AI Behaviour Adjustments For Quests One of the most frustrating issues in recent months has been how AI behavior negatively impacted quest progression — with bots frequently wandering away from the specific zones where they needed to be killed. According to the patch notes, this should now be addressed (or at least improved), with updated AI logic designed to reduce the chances of bots leaving their designated quest areas. The affected quests include: Safe Corridor  (Reserve) Pest Control  (Reserve) Long Road  (Lighthouse) Provocation  (Interchange) No Swiping  (Shoreline) Preemptive Strike  (Shoreline, Customs, Woods) Overpopulation  (Lighthouse) Rite of Passage  (Customs) Quality of Life Improvements While not as crucial as optimization or AI reworks, QoL improvements play a huge role in making the game more enjoyable and less cumbersome — saving players valuable time and reducing friction with the game’s interface or mechanics. The most important change here is to the map-to-map transit system .Previously, a single press of the interaction key (F by default) would initiate a map transition. Now, you’ll need to hold the key for a few seconds  to activate it. This seemingly minor change is quite impactful, as it prevents players from accidentally activating a transit , which would then disable normal extraction points and force them to use the transit system instead. Other QoL improvements include several additions previously showcased by Nikita during TarkovTV, such as: Being able to purchase all required items directly when selecting a crafting recipe in the Hideout Highlighting expiring insurance items in the insurance screen Also helpful: Failed tasks are now restarted automatically The sound for completed/failed tasks is now dimmed if the player earns an achievement at the same time Fixes There’s a major fix worth highlighting here: It looks like BSG has finally fixed the bug causing bots to deal double damage in certain situations! This announcement made many players (myself included) raise an eyebrow with cautious optimism — this bug has been responsible for countless frustrating, inexplicable deaths. Let’s hope it’s truly been resolved. The rest of the fixes are also promising, and it’s clear BSG is continuing its “bug-hunting crusade.” During the latest TarkovTV, Nikita emphasized that hundreds  of bugs have already been addressed — and this patch reportedly fixes about 30 more . Fingers crossed they didn’t accidentally introduce new bugs in the process (which Nikita himself admitted happens all too often). Hideout Management Several new recipes  have been added to the Water Collector: Craft Emergency Water Rations Refill Bottles of Water Craft Aquamari water bottles with a filter New posters for the Hideout have also been added. PMC Skills A new task line has been introduced for high-level players, which helps them level various skills . Completing this task line will unlock an additional special weekly task . My Take As I was saying — it looks like BSG’s crusade to fix bugs and make the game smoother, more enjoyable, and less frustrating is continuing with solid results. And perhaps thanks to the Tarkov.Community  portal, they’re finally listening and acting seriously  on player feedback and suggestions. So let’s keep participating in the discussions and contributing ideas on Tarkov.Community — and let’s hope BSG stays on this path. After all, as Nikita recently stated during TarkovTV, “2025 will be a large-scale collaborative project between developers and players, with the goal of making EFT a stable and polished game in preparation for release.” ____ 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!

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!

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.