December 16, 2023 – Updated with additional beta details.
Escape from Tarkov Arena is one of the most long-awaited shooters right now, coming as Battlestate Games’ chaotic co-op spinoff set in the base FPS’ universe. Now that DreamHack has been underway in Atlanta, excited fans have been wondering whether or not the developer would release Arena. It looks like some people can indeed play the competitive new game right now, but unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we all can.
Sadly, you may not be able to hop into Escape from Tarkov Arena as of now, as it’s seemingly only available to select DreamHack attendees. The FPS game recently emerged in the limelight once more as players looked forward to its possible release during the esports convention, with many fans hoping to see it launch during the event’s first night. While it didn’t come, Battlestate did instead announce its first Arena tournament.
The developer’s post described that five attending teams would compete for money. Responses to the tournament-related posts seem negative, as many fans question when the public will get to play, too. Thanks to a new reveal from well-known EFT insider ‘NoiceGuy,’ we now know that some players actually do have access to Arena, but need to “go to DreamHack” and get special cards containing game codes.
“I asked and I have gotten permission to share what I have been given on Arena,” the poster writes. He offers “complete confirmation” that fans at DreamHack can play “right now,” if they obtain the unique code cards. A thread on Reddit further confirms that what NoiceGuy says is true, as it displays one of the cards from the event.
Interestingly, the card seems to detail that the attendees’ early access can only be activated until Monday, December 18. While there’s no confirmation from the dev just yet, the date could coincide with Arena’s full, public release. Although you can’t play now, you can preorder the game on Escape from Tarkov’s official website for $40 / €37.
Update – December 16: We now have official word on the Escape from Tarkov Arena beta, which is set to roll out its first wave on Sunday, December 17.
While you wait to gain access to Escape from Tarkov Arena yourself, you should browse through a few of our other favorite co-op games to jump into a fun experience with friends right now. Alternatively, check out the best upcoming PC games if you need even more releases to keep yourself excited.
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