Escape from Tarkov developers announce EoD owners will gain temporary access to its PvE mode after widespread community backlash.
Highlights
- Edge of Darkness edition owners to gain access to exclusive PvE mode amidst community backlash over pricey The Unheard Edition.
- Battlestate Games promises perks for EoD owners after anger erupts over lack of PvE mode access in The Unheard Edition.
- Community uproar continues as players criticize monetization changes in Escape from Tarkov's controversial $250 bundle.
In the wake of widespread community outcry, Escape from Tarkov announced owners of the discontinued Edge of Darkness edition will gain temporary access to the exclusive PvE mode packaged with the controversial The Unheard Edition. Players have been up in arms since the reveal of the title's special The Unheard Edition, a bundled package with an extravagant $250 price tag. The backlash from the reveal swiftly took over discussions regarding Escape from Tarkov, with players accusing developer Battlestate Games of reneging on its promises.
The Unheard package is perhaps the most controversial topic to hit Escape from Tarkov since the extraction shooter's d beta was released back in 2017. Players were particularly incensed when it was revealed The Unheard Edition included exclusive access to a cooperative PvE mode, one of the most highly anticipated features for Escape from Tarkov. The community's anger only intensified when it was announced that players who purchased the $150 Edge of Darkness edition, which promised access to all current and future DLCs, would not have access to the PvE mode.
In response to the public outcry, Battlestate Games COO and Escape from Tarkov director Nikita Buyanov shared a post to the official subreddit, announcing plans to grant access to the PvE mode and high-priority matching for six months to EoD owners. While the additional perks are not yet live at the time of writing, Buyanov additionally claimed developers of the hit extraction shooter were already working to implement the new benefits, explaining that his team needed to increase Escape from Tarkov's PvE server capacity before it could open the mode to more players.
Players Unhappy with Escape from Tarkov's The Unheard Edition
Though Buyanov's post intended to mollify the fanbase, initial reactions to the announcement were still overwhelmingly negative. Outraged Escape from Tarkov fans claimed The Unheard Edition blatantly disregarded one of the promised key benefits of the discontinued Edge of Darkness Edition, which guaranteed access to all upcoming DLC without additional payment. Many more players criticized the changes to the monetization system. Several users believed The Unheard Edition's additional perks and upgrades placed Standard Edition owners at a blatant disadvantage.
Microtransactions and DLC options in video games have been accepted as a facet of the modern industry. However, that's not to say that the community won't take note when a developer pushes forward an exorbitant $250 bundle for a title that has yet to leave its d beta phase.
Platform(s) PC Released July 27, 2017 Developer(s) Battlestate Games Publisher(s) Battlestate Games Genre(s) Shooter , Survival See at Official Site