Escape from Tarkov Releases Controversial Bundle

Escape from Tarkov has been the dominant leader of the extraction shooter genre for years, solidifying itself as a mainstay entry in the genre. However, Battlestate games, the developer of Escape from Tarkov, has announced the release of a new game bundle called “The Unheard” edition. This bundle is priced at $250 and features the highly requested co-op PvE mode, new vanity items, more stash space, extra in-game gear, and other items that can give players who buy this edition a clear advantage. There are many factors to this announcement that have caused a major controversy for the game.

Steep Pricing for DLC

Many players are questioning the pricing for this DLC, which is way too expensive, even for a triple-A game. Escape from Tarkov is still currently in it’s closed beta phase, meaning the game has not yet been fully released. Despite the state of the game, Battlestate games is already asking its players to spend more than what is expected for a game that is still in its beta phase. The community has called out the developers for marking the bundle at an egregious price.

PvE Mode Locked Behind Paywall

One of the more questionable aspects of the new edition is the locking of the frequently requested co-op PvE mode behind an expensive paywall. In particular, this greatly affected the players who had previously purchased the “Edge of Darkness” as these players were promised that all future DLC would be free for them. The edition states that owners of the Edge of Darkness edition are instead given a 6-month trial period for this mode before locking them out, which did not sit well with the community. Battlestate games made a statement on their Reddit page saying that the PvE mode was not considered DLC and as such, is not eligible to be given for free for the EoD owners, effectively forcing them to pay full price to be able to play co-op with their friends.

This was a major sore point for players as EFT initially had a modding community, with a particular mod allowing the game to be played as a single-player game, removing PvP entirely in favor of fighting AI bots. The developers have made it clear that modding is considered a bannable offense, which makes their introduction of PvE in a $250 bundle all the more questionable.

Pay-to-Win Content

Competitors Rising Up

After this news came up, other game projects like Helldivers 2, Arena: Breakout, and Gray Zone Warfare have since risen in popularity, with the Unheard edition controversy only fueling their success even more. Battlestate games has received flak from these games. The Tarkov community has been wanting other games to compete in the extraction shooter genre, but with the game sitting securely at the top for so long, Escape from Tarkov had no real competition. Now, players are actively looking out for other alternative games to play as they quit the game for greener pastures.