Escape From Tarkov
News, coverage and analysis tracking Escape From Tarkov across the outlets.
Latest coverage
PlayStation’s Marathon Bet Looks Like It’s Already Backfiring
Marathon, Bungie's extraction shooter, is struggling to maintain player numbers on Steam despite a recent season update and a free week, falling significantly from its launch peak. The game's high development cost, estimated at $200-250 million, coupled with Sony's reported $765 million in impairment losses related to Bungie's portfolio, suggests significant financial pressure. The article questions the viability of Marathon as a live-service title given its hardcore PvP focus and the market saturation, especially after Destiny 2's end of support.
PUBG extraction shooter, Black Budget, gets a date for its second playtest
PUBG: Black Budget, an extraction FPS developed by Krafton, will hold its second closed alpha playtest from June 26 to June 29 for North America, Europe, and East Asia. Players can request access via Steam, with selected participants able to invite two friends. The game features a story-driven experience on a tropical island with up to 45 players and supernatural elements.
How That's No Moon's Crossfire evolves the cover-based shooter
That's No Moon is developing a narrative-driven, third-person tactical action-adventure shooter titled Crossfire, a reimagining of Smilegate's multiplayer game. The studio aims to redefine cover-based combat with an "adaptive cover" system that utilizes organic environmental cover, powered by Unreal Engine 5's Nanite and Lumen technologies. Key figures like Taylor Kurosaki and Jacob Minkoff are leading the project, which features characters Layla and Cross.
Marathon May Never Be Popular, And That’s Why It’s So Good
Marathon, a new live-service game from Bungie, is intentionally designed to be niche and challenging, unlike more mainstream titles such as Destiny 2. Its friction-forward gameplay, harsh mechanics, and emphasis on player learning over permanent progression set it apart. Despite initial skepticism and comparisons to other live-service failures, Marathon's unique approach offers a distinct and thrilling experience for its target audience.
I helgen spelar vi *piiip* – Vad spelar du?
Several individuals share their gaming plans for the weekend, which include playing titles like Bellwright, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Faster Than Light, Escape from Tarkov, 007: From Russia with Love, Virtual Pool 4, and Donkey Kong 64. Some are also focused on building or testing new PC hardware.
TheBurntPeanut is missing from the new Fortnite Battle Pass following criticism over collab
Twitch streamer TheBurntPeanut has been removed from the Fortnite Chapter 7, Season 3 Battle Pass following community backlash over alleged homophobic remarks. The collaboration was initially hinted at in key art and confirmed by Senior Design Director Tim Timmins, but the streamer's character is now absent from the official reveal. Epic Games has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Method of Entry
Method of Entry is an upcoming 5v5 tactical shooter aiming to revitalize the genre with a focus on competitive play and authentic mechanics, avoiding complex hero abilities. The game draws inspiration from titles like SWAT, Rainbow 6, Counter-Strike, Escape from Tarkov, and Rainbow Six Siege. A 5-man developer team is promoting the game, which emphasizes realistic Special Forces scenarios and genuine skill.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 boss promises transparency over SBMM: "All will be revealed soon"
Infinity Ward co-studio head Mark Grigsby has promised transparency regarding the implementation of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. While the exact details are yet to be revealed, the developer's commitment to openness is being met positively by fans, especially in light of past controversies with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's matchmaking.
Modern Warfare 4 goes head-to-head with Arc Raiders and Escape from Tarkov as Call of Duty's extraction shooter…
Activision is re-entering the extraction shooter genre with Modern Warfare 4, featuring an expanded DMZ mode described as the definitive Call of Duty extraction experience. The game is set to launch on October 23, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X, promising a living combat sandbox with shifting conditions and dynamic objectives. Infinity Ward aims to refine the extraction shooter formula based on lessons learned from the Modern Warfare 2 beta.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 finally revealed, and it's officially leaving last-generation consoles behind
Activision and Infinity Ward have officially revealed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, set to launch on October 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, notably skipping last-generation consoles. The game will feature a campaign with multiple narrative threads, a revamped multiplayer with new movement and attachment systems, and a fully developed DMZ extraction mode. This release marks a significant shift for the series by moving away from older hardware and introducing new gameplay mechanics.
Modern Warfare 4 will bring back DMZ, Call of Duty's extraction shooter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, set to release in October, will feature the return of the DMZ extraction mode, which first appeared in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Activision Blizzard and Infinity Ward describe the new DMZ as a "living combat sandbox" with shifting conditions and objectives. The article also touches on Modern Warfare 4's multiplayer, noting Infinity Ward's continued strength in weapon design.
What is the Icebreaker location in Escape from Tarkov?
This guide details the Icebreaker location within Escape from Tarkov. It explains how players can navigate this unique area and what to expect upon entering.
Is Icebreaker PvP or PvE in Escape from Tarkov?
The article discusses whether the new Icebreaker activity in Escape from Tarkov is a Player versus Environment (PvE) or Player versus Player (PvP) experience. It aims to clarify the nature of this endgame content for players.
Escape From Tarkov Icebreaker Update and New Story Chapter
Battlestate Games has released a major update for Escape From Tarkov, introducing the 'Icebreaker' PvE event and a new story chapter. This update adds a new map where players can team up with two friends to explore the story of the trapped Paradigm Shipping Icebreaker and battle a new boss. The update also includes a new mechanic for locating in-raid items and adjusts the chance of death from Obdolbos injections.
Project Rabbit: An Eastern Perspective on Alice in Wonderland - GameHaunt
Project Rabbit is a session-based extraction soulslike for PC developed by South Korean studio NovaFlare, reimagining Alice in Wonderland with an Eastern aesthetic. The game features up to three-player co-op and demands precise combat and resource management within a strict time limit for extraction, blending elements of soulslike and extraction shooter genres. A release date and pricing have not yet been announced.
Marathon risks watering down its best feature if it keeps listening to FPS fans
This article discusses how Bungie's new extraction shooter, Marathon, risks losing its unique identity by catering too much to player demands for simpler menu navigation and clearer icons. The author argues that the game's commitment to diegetic storytelling and frictional design, inspired by Soulslike titles, is its strongest selling point and should not be watered down.
MMO Business Roundup: 2K’s layoffs, Indiana’s Roblox lawsuit, CCP’s rename, and the Tarkov effect
This MMO business roundup covers several industry developments, including layoffs at 2K Games' 31st Union studio working on Project Ethos. Indiana is suing Roblox and Discord over child safety concerns, while Escape from Tarkov's popularity is cited as a driver for the extraction shooter genre. CCP Games rebranded to Fenris Creations to avoid conflict with China, and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated Grand Theft Auto VI is being developed without crunch.
New PUBG game, inspired by Escape from Tarkov, gets free playtest
Krafton, the makers of PUBG, are developing a new extraction shooter called Black Budget, inspired by Escape from Tarkov. The game features a tropical island setting with supernatural elements and a 30-minute match limit. Players can sign up for an upcoming playtest on Steam.
Escape From Tarkov Lead Game Designer leaves Battlestate Games after nine years
Jean Tyulegenov, Lead Game Designer for Escape From Tarkov, has departed Battlestate Games after nearly nine years. Tyulegenov, who joined in 2017 and was instrumental in the game's development through its closed beta and 1.0 release, announced his departure on Twitter. His next venture remains undisclosed, but he expressed gratitude to Battlestate head Nikita Buyanov for the project.
If you're asking why everyone's making an extraction shooter, Escape from Tarkov is the 11th most-played game on PC according to new report, beating Overwatch, Marvel Rivals, and PUBG
A new report from Newzoo indicates that Escape from Tarkov is the 11th most-played game on PC for 2025, surpassing titles like Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, PUBG, and Apex Legends in total playtime. While not reaching the heights of Fortnite or Counter-Strike 2, its performance highlights the genre's popularity among dedicated players.
