Even though there are many shooters that follow a certain formula, just a single reversed aspect could create a completely different gaming experience – in this case, it’s the species of soldiers.
What game is it about? It’s the survival extraction and looter shooter “Escape from Duckov,” developed by Team Soda and published in collaboration with bilibili on Steam and in the Epic Store. If the title of the game isn’t clear enough, it’s a reference to the hardcore shooter “Escape from Tarkov,” which has been in early access since 2017 but is now scheduled for an official release in 2025 after an announcement by the studio later this year.
However, the time was long enough to get a first small competitor with Escape from Duckov, whose parody might even appear sooner than version 1.0 of the parodied game itself.
Here you can see the trailer for Escape from Duckov:
Looting, shooting, and asserting oneself against other birds as a duck
What kind of game is Escape from Duckov? In the trailer and on Steam, you can get a first glimpse of the gameplay. In Escape from Duckov, you will need to take out various opponents with firearms, knives, and similar weapons, explore locations, loot them empty, and build your own base. Even though none of this sounds absolutely new or groundbreaking – you do all of this as an adorable little duckling.
Escape from Duckov seems to know exactly what kind of game it is and what it wants to offer. It doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, but it shines with charming-looking characters and environments, offers various customization options, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
When does the demo start? The second demo phase starts on May 29 on Steam. During this period, you can play Escape from Duckov until July 1, 2025. Under the announcement on Steam and the trailer on YouTube, excited yet impatient players are already looking forward:
- “I can’t wait, the last demo was fun, and I feel like I won’t get enough of it,” wrote bjlantz1994 on Steam.
- “Please let us play the demo until the full game comes out. I’m begging you. I would even pay 5 dollars for the demo. I just want to play until the full game is out, and then I will pay the full price for the complete game. Please,” pleads paulshifley1 on Steam.
- “I am so ready to jump back in. The game is definitely fun and has, at least in my case, sunk its claws into me. I keep catching myself jumping back into the playtest to learn more,” writes @gideonscustoms857 on YouTube.
It remains exciting to see which target audience Escape from Duckov will actually appeal to once the game is finally released. The question is whether it can attract fans of Escape from Tarkov or if it rather deters them. At least, it offers another option for players looking for a casual alternative to their favorite shooter. Anyone needing more inspiration can find it here on MeinMMO: The 25 best shooters of 2025 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay
