Escape from Tarkov, arguably some of the hardcore extraction shooters on the market, is lastly making its method to Steam. The sport has beforehand lived in perpetual beta standing, however now the extremely anticipated 1.0 launch is predicted this November. You may’t purchase it on Steam simply but, although the itemizing is up and you’ll wishlist it. However, as some are studying, when you have already been a long-time Tarkov participant and are hoping to consolidate your sport library beneath Valve’s launcher or make use of Steam’s social options, you gained’t simply be capable to obtain the sport on Steam and join your Battlestate Video games account. You’ll should pay for the sport a second time.
Like with many issues involving Tarkov, that is all somewhat complicated, if not intimidating. So let’s break it down.
The Steam web page for EFT went public right this moment, with a launch date of “coming quickly.” In the meantime, a FAQ on EFT’s official web site lists some doubtlessly disappointing information for some: “To play Escape from Tarkov by way of Steam, you’ll need to hyperlink a Battlestate Video games account to your Steam account.” That is hardly distinctive to EFT’s arrival on Steam, as different video games, similar to Ultimate Fantasy XIV and, extra just lately, Star Wars Outlaws, which have beforehand launched elsewhere and later come out on Steam usually haven’t supported a “cross-buy” state of affairs. Nonetheless, this information has left a bitter style for a lot of, with followers chiming in on social media to counsel the sport is more likely to get evaluate bombed upon launch and that it simply feels foolish, grasping even.
The identical FAQ web page states that when you beforehand bought any of the costlier variations of the sport, a newly bought Steam copy “will robotically use the upper version of the 2 when launching the sport” when you’ve linked your accounts. So, technically talking, if enjoying on Steam is a should, and also you’ve bought a costlier model of EFT previously, you must solely purchase the bottom version on Steam when it goes stay.
The Steam FAQ web page additionally comprises another doubtlessly upsetting data: There are at the moment no plans for EFT to assist the Steam Deck and Household Sharing is a no-go. Plus, the system necessities, as seen on the Steam web page, are fairly steep. Advisable specs embody 64GB (!!) of RAM and a 4070.
Escape from Tarkov’s most important extraction mode will lastly emerge from beta standing on November 15, 2025, after practically a decade in improvement. However it’s not the one mode that EFT has on provide.
As an extraction shooter, Tarkov options PvP components that see each bots and gamers on a stay multiplayer map, although the principle sport loop is all about getting in, looting, surviving, and extracting. Two years in the past, nonetheless, BSG launched EFT: Enviornment as a standalone answer for many who needed to expertise the tactical shooter in a aggressive surroundings. Although Enviornment makes use of the identical EFT account to share rank and stats, and is on the market for buy individually on the Epic Video games Retailer proper now, this mode doesn’t have a Steam itemizing.
So whereas needing to purchase the sport a second time when you desperately have to play could be a bummer, it’s price noting that you would be able to simply add non-Steam video games to the Steam launcher. That stated, given that you simply’ll nonetheless want a BSG account and your earlier purchases of the costlier editions will carry over, some are questioning why BSG can’t simply permit the bottom model to hold over with a obtain of the launcher by way of Steam.
