Escape from Tarkov has managed to upset nearly the entire community with a single update. Particularly, EOD owners are angry.
Why are the players of Escape from Tarkov angry? In Escape from Tarkov (EFT), a new update called “The Unheard Edition” was released on April 25, 2024. This special version of the game costs 250 euros.
With the Unheard Edition, players gain access to a new PvE co-op mode. Additionally, some advantages for the regular PvPvE mode are included, which a part of the player base considers to be P2W.
Overall, the community is really furious with developers Battlestate Games for various reasons. On one hand, the price of the edition and related issues with the PvE mode are seen as problematic. On the other hand, some players take issue with the P2W content.
To make matters worse, the owners of the expensive “Edge of Darkness” edition from Battlestate Games feel deceived, as this version of the game originally guaranteed ownership of all upcoming DLCs.
What exactly is the problem with the “Edge of Darkness” edition? The Unheard Edition is not included in the previously purchasable “Edge of Darkness” edition (EOD), which players could acquire for around 155 euros. EOD owners only receive a discount and have to pay “only” about 100 € for the Unheard Edition.
According to Battlestate Games, the EOD version was supposed to grant free access to all “future released DLCs (Season Pass)”. Nikita Buyanov, the COO of Battlestate Games, also wrote in a two-month-old post that the offline co-op mode was an “EOD feature”.
It is unclear what exactly counts as “DLCs (Season Pass)” for the developers and how this differs from new content that comes into the game via new editions.
In the end, it can be summarized that the owners of the EoD edition of Escape from Tarkov feel lied to by Battlestate Games and expected to receive new content like a PvE mode for free with Edge of Darkness.
- ngmarr via Reddit: “The new PvE mode is an obvious DLC and EOD owners should receive it for free.”
- Hambo_LD via X.com: “I bought EOD to get DLC. What is this now? Or are we now arbitrarily deciding what is DLC and what is not?”
- endisnigh-ish via Reddit: “We were cheated, guys…”
- Whole-Scholar-6840 via Reddit: “This is such crap. I am pissed off. The only thing I’ve wanted so badly is the PvE. It is definitely considered DLC, and anyone who says otherwise is lying.”
- AnneMunition via X.com: “When I bought EOD, it said ‘free access to all further downloadable content’ – that is one of the reasons I bought it, so I wouldn’t have to pay more in the future. That is a scam, and you are trying to hide behind flimsy wording. I hope no one buys that.”
“No DLC, but a Feature”
What does Battlestate Games say about the players’ complaints? The lead community manager of Battlestate Games, Daniel “appl3z0r” Mavlyuberdinov, has commented on the issue.
On the official EFT Discord server, a player wrote that EOD owners should receive the PvE mode. To this, Daniel Mavlyuberdinov replied: “It is not DLC, but a unique feature of the newly added edition.”
On April 26, Nikita Buyanov, the COO of Battlestate Games, posted on Reddit that the studio wants to “honor” the owners of the EOD version. To this honor, the development team plans to add various “new features” to the EOD version.
The new features will include increased base charisma, increased base PMC karma, and 6 months of access to offline PvE.
What exactly is included in the new edition? With the Unheard Edition, you gain access to the beta of Escape from Tarkov – yes, the shooter is still in beta, and yes, the access still costs a lot of money.
Moreover, the Unheard Edition is the only way to buy and play the PvE co-op mode of EFT. This mode is supposed to have permanent progression in contrast to the regular PvE training mode in EFT and is not affected by wipes.
In addition to the new PvE co-op mode, purchasing the Unheard Edition provides you with the following advantages:
- Increased stash size (10×72)
- Increased starting level of character abilities
- Larger PMC pockets
- Additional equipment and resources in the stash
- More slots on the flea market
- Increased reputation with the dealer Fence
If you are now looking for new, interesting shooters, you can take a look at our list of promising titles that are set to be released this year: The 10 most promising shooters releasing in 2024
