The hardcore survival shooter Escape from Tarkov is known for its realism. The Russian shooter has a complex economic system with multiple currencies, the value of which is tied to real-world currencies. Because the Russian ruble is crashing in value due to sanctions stemming from the Ukraine war, it has direct effects on item prices in the game. However, the developers have said nothing about the war.
Why does the Ukraine war affect prices in Escape from Tarkov? As reported by “The Loadout”, prices in Escape from Tarkov are currently in disarray. Many items in Tarkov’s “Flea Market” are traded in the in-game currency rubles, which is based on the real Russian ruble.
However, since the Russian ruble has lost 36% of its value against the US dollar in the past week, behavior in Escape from Tarkov is also changing.
Prices for Russian weapons fall – US dollar becomes more valuable
What does this mean? It has various effects because you can also trade in US dollars and euros in Escape from Tarkov.
The price of Eastern European weapons in Tarkov, which are usually traded in rubles, has dropped significantly in recent days. The typical variants of the AK-74, the Kalashnikov, now cost between 37% and 21% less, reports The Loadout.
Furthermore, the number of items sold to the trader Peacekeeper is increasing, as he pays out in hard US dollars. Those who sell to the Peacekeeper earn comparatively more profit from their loot than before.
Additionally, items are now increasingly being traded on the flea market in “hard currencies” such as euros and US dollars rather than in the unstable currency rubles.
This is the discussion: On reddit a player says: The price of the ruble in the game is falling, it is getting more expensive to acquire US dollars from Peacekeeper. He asks if there is a way to profit from this. But adds: In the game, he is not a monster.
However, there are no valuable economic tips on reddit. People mainly discuss why the currencies in Escape from Tarkov are tied to real money at all. One user explains that this is an exciting gameplay element. Because it removes a part of the game from the direct control of the developers. This contributes to an engaging gameplay experience.
2021 frustrated Escape from Tarkov with Bitcoin
Has there ever been trouble with currency in Tarkov? In Escape from Tarkov, there is also a Bitcoin, which is tied to the cryptocurrency in the real world. These Bitcoins in Tarkov can be “farmed”.
In mid-2021, the developers apparently got fed up when the price of Bitcoin skyrocketed. They announced on Twitter that the value of Bitcoin had fallen by 10 to 15% and that they expected it to continue to fall “in the foreseeable future”.
This has apparently been the only intervention by Battlestate Game in its economic model so far.
Russian developers say nothing about the Ukraine war – fans understand
How does Tarkov react to the Ukraine war? As a Russian company, they remain silent about the war.
On reddit there is a big discussion about this silence. One user says: People who want a statement from the company and are angry because none is coming must not be in their right mind.
– Ukraine live blog (via Zeit)
– War in Ukraine: Belarusian troops reportedly enter Ukraine (via nzz)
– Solidarity with Ukraine (via foreign-office)
Important note: If you are having dark thoughts due to the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, from the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. This is free and applies nationwide.
One must understand that it is completely normal to remain silent on the topic in Russia. Otherwise, one gets arrested. You can see everywhere how people are arrested for publicly protesting against the war in Russia.
Apparently, this attitude is shared by many players of Escape from Tarkov. There is a lot of understanding that the developers do not want to put themselves in danger. The discussion mainly focuses on how Tarkov should continue economically.
The Belarusian company Wargaming takes a clear stance on the Ukraine war:
Studio behind World of Tanks fires Creative Director after supporting the Ukraine war
