With an upcoming patch, the extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov will receive a so-called “Hardcore Wipe.” Not much is known about it, but it is expected to make the game even tougher.
What is this “Hardcore Wipe”? It was announced on June 26 in a post on X (formerly Twitter) along with the new roadmap. The Hardcore Wipe is set to be released with patch 0.16.8.0 in July. This patch will also include:
- new prestige levels
- new customization options for the PMC mode
- as well as a number of fixes
The developers revealed more details in another X post on July 1. The Hardcore Wipe will reportedly disable the flea market where players trade gear among themselves. Additionally, the spawn rate for rare loot will be reduced.
The Hardcore Wipe is likely to increase the grind for really good gear and make the game, which already prides itself on its high difficulty, even harder.
Players are upset about the changes
How is the community responding to this? There are many players who are dissatisfied with the Hardcore Wipe. This is already evident from the X post with the first details:
- “Well another wipe I will be skipping this is extremely disappointing.” (tomer ae)
- “Everything on this list is everything actual gamers, not the big streamers that play for maybe 1-2 weeks out of a wipe and bitch about the game 24/7, don’t want.” (Jake Franklin)
The wipe is also being heavily discussed on Reddit. Under a post on r/EscapefromTarkov with over 1,500 likes, voices can be heard like:
- “Tarkov players really need to figure out that monotonous and repetitive does not equal hardcore. Spamming the same loot spot 10 rounds in a row hoping to get one drop is about as hardcore as grinding mobs in runescape.” (No_Bank_6959)
- “I think this is fine for a short wipe just to give a different experience (I’m fine spending a wipe where I just don’t bother focusing on hideout), but they should seriously reconsider the ‘reduced spawn chance of rare loot.'” (1-Dollar-Doge-Coins)
While some players can understand the intent behind it, many believe the changes go too far. The developers have announced that they will reveal more about the wipe soon.
If you’re looking for a PvP shooter in 2025, Escape from Tarkov offers one of the strongest titles in the genre. More recommendations can be found in the following list on MeinMMO: The 25 Best Shooters 2025 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay
