Escape From Tarkov microtransactions were bound to happen eventually. Frankly, considering how long EFT has been running, it’s impressive how Battlestate has managed to maintain its extraction shooter so far without additional monetization. The latest Escape From Tarkov patch introduces in-game purchases for the first time, in a bid to offset the removal of the Edge of Darkness edition, in the wake of Escape From Tarkov Arena. Various features previously exclusive to EoD can soon be bought separately, including the ever-useful offline co-op mode. EFT players will also be able to increase their stash space – by a lot.
Escape From Tarkov, alongside Hunt Showdown and Deep Rock Galactic, remains one of the best extraction FPS games on PC. Tense, realistic, punishing, and rewarding in equal measure, Battlestate has been mindful to maintain a careful balance between player expectations and the pragmatic demands of keeping the game alive since 2017. Now, the developer is introducing Escape From Tarkov microtransactions for the first time ever, explaining how EFT has been running so far without any “additional flow.”
“The thing is that we want to add purchasable options for EFT players,” Battlestate Games’ chief operating officer Nikita Buyanov explains. “[This is because] we removed the EoD version and some of the EoD features need to go back (offline co-op for example). [Also], the game [has been] running for eight years without any additional flow. You just buy and play it forever, and it’s a pretty unique situation for a game such as EFT.”
Escape From Tarkov microtransactions will allow players who own any version of the game aside from Edge of Darkness to separately purchase the offline co-op mode. Players can also pay to unlock new clothing options early, and to increase their stash size. The purchasable stash expansions will allow for up to an additional 28 lines of space, or 280 slots.
This is the same size as the default stash for players of EFT’s standard edition, meaning you can potentially double the size of your stash via microtransactions. Edge of Darkness allows for a stash of 680 slots. If you already own the Edge of Darkness edition, offline co-op will remain available at no extra cost, and you will not have the option to purchase additional stash space.
Battlestate says that the options to purchase offline co-op and additional stash space will arrive in the “near future,” and that players will be able to access the microtransactions via the profile page on the official Escape From Tarkov website.
If you’re a big Tarkov fan, you might also want to try some of the best battle royale games, or maybe the best and most brutal survival games on PC.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.