Will Escape From Tarkov Have Microtransactions?

A few years ago, GameSpot spoke with Escape From Tarkov’s project lead Nikita Buyanov about the then-unreleased shooter’s ambitions, including its blend of action, survival, and role-playing, its high-risk looting system, and more. You can read the full interview from 2016 here.

Now, with Escape From Tarkov a few years into its closed beta and recently enjoying a popularity spike on Twitch thanks to some popular streamers, we’ve decided to revisit a few major questions newcomers may have about the upcoming MMOFPS. Namely: will Escape From Tarkov have microtransactions?

New players can rest easy. According to Buyanov, Escape From Tarkov will be “a traditional, full purchase,” free of microtransactions and other free-to-play trappings. That means you pay once and you get the full content of the game.

There are currently a few editions of Escape From Tarkov available for pre-order on its official website. Its Standard Edition is $44.99 and comes with instant access to the closed beta, plus a few items to get you started. The more advanced, pricier editions come with more items and a bigger stash, which is where you store in-game loot after you’ve completed a raid. Some players have questioned whether Tarkov’s pre-order model is “pay to win” based on the additional items and stash sizes that more expensive editions afford buyers, but others argue it makes no difference given Tarkov’s high-stakes perma-loss system.

Currently, you can only buy Escape From Tarkov on its official website and play it using developer Battlestate Games’ client, the Battlestate Games Launcher–which has many new players and potential new players asking if Escape From Tarkov will have a Steam release.