Escape from Tarkov (EFT) is a hardcore tactical first-person shooter video game being developed by the Russian studio Battlestate Games. Set in the fictional Norvinsk region in northwestern Russia, players take on the role of either a Russian PMC operative (BEAR) or an American PMC operative (USEC) amidst a war between the two factions.
EFT is known for its intense and unforgiving gameplay with a steep learning curve. It features in-depth weapon modification systems, a player-driven economy, realistic ballistics modeling, detailed health systems, and much more. The game is currently in open beta testing and continues to expand with new features and content.
Upcoming EFT DLCs
Battlestate Games has announced plans for several DLCs and expansions to EFT down the road. Here are some of the major upcoming DLCs in the works:
Streets of Tarkov: This massive new map will add new districts, landmarks, and quests to the city of Tarkov. It is planned to be the largest map added to date.
Terminal: A new location connected to Streets of Tarkov that includes a train station and port area.
Suburbs: Expanded peri-urban areas on the outskirts of Tarkov.
Town: A new rural location on the outskirts of Tarkov.
Lighthouse: A new map featuring a lighthouse and water treatment facility. Planned for release in 2022.
Story-driven quest lines: New narrative quests that unveil more of the backstory and factions of Tarkov.
New weapons/gear: Battlestate plans continuous additions of new guns, ammo, armor, and other equipment.
New bosses: Additional iconic NPC bosses to fight, each with unique tactics and loot.
Scav life: A new gameplay mode focused on the daily lives of Scavs in Tarkov.
Arena: A new competitive, session-based PvP mode separate from the main game.
Will EFT DLCs be free?
The big question many EFT players have is whether these new DLCs and expansions will be free or paid. Here is what we know so far:
Arena will be free for existing EFT players: Battlestate has confirmed that the upcoming Arena PvP mode will be free to download and play for those who already own Escape from Tarkov.
Major new maps likely paid DLC: Given their scale and development time, major new maps like Streets of Tarkov will most likely be paid DLC when they release. However, Battlestate has not officially confirmed pricing.
Minor maps/updates may be free: Smaller new maps or updates to existing maps could be released as free content updates, but again this is unspecified.
Story/quest DLCs likely paid: Substantial new storylines and quests seem probable to be paid DLC.
New weapons/gear likely free: New guns and equipment appear more likely to be free additions to the base game.
EoD owners may get DLCs free: Some DLCs may be bundled for free for owners of the Edge of Darkness premium edition. However, this perk has not been defined by Battlestate yet.
So in summary, major content additions like new maps are expected to be paid DLC, while smaller updates like weapons may be free. But the details remain unconfirmed by the developers thus far.
Example pricing for EFT DLC
To get an idea of potential pricing, we can look at the pre-order packages currently available for EFT:
Standard Edition: $45 base game
Left Behind Edition: $75 base game + starter gear/resources
Prepare for Escape Edition: $90 base game + more starter gear
Edge of Darkness: $140 base game + full stash size + all future DLCs + bonuses
This suggests major DLC like new maps could be priced around $15 to $30+ depending on the scope. Arena may be free or similarly priced for non-EFT owners. But again, official DLC pricing remains unannounced.
Can you upgrade to EoD later?
Players who purchased Standard or Left Behind editions can upgrade to the Edge of Darkness edition after the fact to gain access to all future DLCs. However, Battlestate has said this upgrade option will be removed once EFT leaves beta testing. So current Standard edition owners should upgrade before then if they want future DLC bundled.
When will EFT DLCs release?
Most of the announced DLCs do not have definitive release dates yet. However, Battlestate shared the following tentative DLC timeline:
- Arena PvP mode: Closed beta testing begins Autumn 2022
- Lighthouse map: Expected 2022
- Streets of Tarkov: Major parts planned for 2022/2023
- Story quests: Begin rolling out in 2023
- Scav Life: TBA
So new EFT content will be continually trickling out over the next 1-2 years. Major additions like Streets of Tarkov may take substantial development time.
Will EFT always require a purchase?
Escape from Tarkov is a "pay once" game, not free-to-play. There are currently no plans for microtransactions or a free version according to Battlestate. Players will need to purchase one of the paid packages to play. That said, the Arena PvP mode may be offered stand-alone to bring in new players. But the main EFT game will require payment to play.
Ongoing funding for EFT development
The ongoing payment model for EFT helps fund continual development of new features, maps, weapons and optimizations. EFT has been in open beta since 2017 and continues expanding. More DLC purchases help support Battlestate‘s team working long-term to bring new content to the game.
However, some players have expressed concerns over "pay-to-win" mechanics as EFT moves from beta to release. Battlestate maintains the game will stay fair and balanced for all players regardless of which edition they purchased. Free and paid DLCs will aim for parity in gear and gameplay.
Is EFT "finished" after full release?
Battlestate has said their vision for EFT extends well beyond the official 1.0 launch out of beta testing. The developers plan to continue expanding the world of Tarkov for many years to come.
In the words of Nikita Buyanov, Battlestate CEO:
"I think that it can easily compete with other online action games in terms of the quality and quantity of content updates. There are still so many ideas and plans that are not implemented in the game yet."
So while the full launch will be a major milestone, Tarkov players can expect plenty of new DLCs, features, and improvements for years following as well.
Will DLCs add new gameplay elements?
Alongside new maps, gear, quests, and narrative content, some DLCs may also introduce new gameplay systems and mechanics. For example, the Scav Life DLC aims to add an entirely new way to play by letting you live as a Scav.
Potential other gameplay additions could include:
- Expanded character skill trees
- New character classes/roles beyond PMC
- Seasonal events/features
- Weather impacts
- Additional health/injury systems
- New daily/weekly quest formats
- Minigames like cleaning weapons
- Faction wars or territory control
- Auction house for rare items
- Public clan systems
Plus many more ideas that the Battlestate devs may explore after release. Post-launch development will shift based on community feedback and requests.
Will DLCs expand the story?
Escape from Tarkov contains a deep lore and backstory about how the Tarkov conflict began, the key factions involved, the history of the Norvinsk region, and more. This narrative content has so far only been hinted through fragments in item descriptions and cryptic quest dialog.
Battlestate Games has suggested upcoming story-focused DLCs will reveal more details about what led to the events within Tarkov. Through new story quest lines, players may learn more about:
The TerraGroup corporation and its shady activities
Rogue faction leaders like Tagilla, Killa, and Shturman
The origins of iconic locations like Labs and Factory
Lost treasures and artifacts hidden around Norvinsk
Political turmoil between Russia and the West
Personal stories of scav bandits and cults
Expanded lore content will appeal to players who want to better understand the full context and motivations within this gritty, cutthroat Tarkov underworld. It may also set the stage for potential sequels down the road.
Will Arena be a test bed for new content?
The upcoming Arena mode pits teams of players against each other in session-based, last-team-standing matches. This competitive game mode will provide a new way for Battlestate to test out experimental features and content outside of the main EFT game.
For example, Arena may see new guns, ammo, and gear added that are not yet ready for inclusion in EFT‘s live servers. The developers can tweak and balance new weapons in Arena first before adding them to live raids.
Battlestate can also experiment with offbeat mechanics like zombie scavs, buffs/debuffs, or wacky events that would not fit Tarkov‘s hardcore gameplay. Based on community feedback, some concepts could get incorporated back into the main EFT game if proven successful and popular.
So Arena will provide a convenient sandbox for Battlestate to try out crazy concepts without disrupting the core Tarkov experience.
DLC development challenges
While new DLCs bring excitement and fresh content, they also come with development challenges. Battlestate discusses some of these difficulties in adding new features to EFT:
Performance optimization – new maps, gameplay mechanics, and assets drag on game performance that requires ongoing optimization.
Balancing – new guns, ammo, gear, and player skills need extensive tuning so they don‘t disrupt game balance.
Technical debt – building on a complex existing codebase makes adding new features more difficult over time.
Scope creep – plans tend to grow in scope over time, delaying initial targeted release.
Resource costs – developing high-quality content and extensive features requires significant staffing and budget.
To help address these challenges, Battlestate expands their team‘s size and leverages community feedback to focus on the most desired improvements. Their Roadmap helps prioritize the most impactful DLCs and updates to work on next.
Supporting EFT‘s live operations long-term will be an ambitious undertaking. But Battlestate seems committed to delivering on their vision for Tarkov‘s future.
Wrapping Up
Escape from Tarkov continues to thrill hardcore shooter fans with its intense raids and complex mechanics. While still in open beta, the developers at Battlestate Games have exciting plans for expanding Tarkov‘s world and gameplay through major DLCs like Streets of Tarkov, story quests, Scav Life mode, Arena PvP, and much more.
While pricing details remain unannounced, larger DLCs will likely carry a cost while smaller updates may be free. Current Standard edition owners can upgrade to Edge of Darkness to get future DLC bundled. But overall, EFT‘s ongoing purchases help fund long-term development.
For Tarkov players who crave even more challenge and variety, the roadmap ahead promises new maps to conquer, new gear to master, new bosses to take down, and new secrets of Tarkov to unravel. While the full release will mark a major milestone, development on EFT seems destined to carry on strong for many wipes to come.
