Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate has released a second statement after it u-turned on a decision to lock an “exclusive” PvE mode to its €300 Unheard Edition following player feedback, saying it is “very sorry that fans and the game community in general are experiencing these feelings”.
In the statement posted to Reddit, COO Nikita Buyanov said that they “somehow did not foresee the fact of such a reaction” and has now “decided to just open [the controversial PvE mode] for EoD owners for free”.
On Friday (26th April), Matt reported that Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate had drawn fan ire after unveiling a €250 (€300 after tax) special edition that, alongside some controversial special advantages, contains an exclusive co-op PvE mode that won’t be made available to those that bought a previous edition.
It was this inclusion of an exclusive new co-op PvE mode that’s caused the most consternation as Tarkov’s previous Edge of Darkness Edition – now discontinued – promised purchasers would get “free access to all subsequent DLCs”.
Unfortunately, I somehow did not foresee the fact of such a reaction and now I have drawn conclusions for my future decisions.
“About PvE access – we decided to just open it for EoD owners for free, but we will do it in waves.
“We also decided that we will add MOD support for PvE mode after release of the game.
“Thank you for your time, love and hate, and thank you for your increased attention to the current situation,” Buyanov said in conclusion.
After reconsidering its decision to restrict a “exclusive” PvE mode to its €300 Unheard Edition in response to player feedback, Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate issued a second statement in which it expressed its “deepest regret” for the emotions fans and the gaming community as a whole are feeling.
After reading a statement on Reddit, COO Nikita Buyanov said that they “decided to just open [the controversial PvE mode] for EoD owners for free” because they “somehow did not foresee the fact of such a reaction.”.
Matt reported on Friday, April 26th, that the developer of Escape from Tarkov, Battlestate, had angered fans with the announcement of a special edition that costs €250 (€300 after tax) and includes an exclusive cooperative PvE mode that is only available to those who purchased the previous edition. The special edition also comes with some contentious special advantages.
The biggest controversy stemmed from the addition of a new, exclusive cooperative PvE mode. Tarkov’s previous Edge of Darkness Edition, which is no longer available, had promised owners “free access to all subsequent DLCs.”.
The End of Darkness edition owners were promised “all subsequent DLCs,” according to Battlestate, despite strong criticism that “PvE gamemode is not DLC.” However, the team later acknowledged yesterday that, in response to player “dissatisfaction,” it has “decided that the functionality of the PvE mode will be available for free to all owners of the EoD version at the release of the game, when the server infrastructure will be improved to the required capacity.”.
Buyanov is now going farther still.
Earlier today, Buyanov posted, “Let me continue my feedback on the current situation.”. Firstly, let me start by expressing my sincere regret for the emotions that gamers and the gaming community at large are feeling. I have learned lessons for my future decisions because, regrettably, I was unable to anticipate the possibility of such a reaction.
In regards to PvE access, we have chosen to simply grant free access to EoD owners, but we will roll it out gradually. We currently don’t have enough server capacity, as I previously stated. We will get this process underway as soon as we can,” Buyanov continued. “After the game launches, we also made the decision to add MOD support for PvE mode.
Regarding the Unheard edition, we intend to preserve the option for players who wish to contribute more to the game. We will not be eliminating it. However, we’ll balance the perks and items in this edition and give those who upgraded at the previous price more rewards. “.
In addition, Buyanov stated that “new EoD perks will be balanced too” and that the group would “remove prioritised matching option to keep everyone in the same spot.”. Additionally, according to Battlestate, “more unique stuff will be added to highlight the EoD version in general.” Players will be able to access the final list “as soon as possible.”. Events, patches, and content will go on “no matter what.”.
Buyanov concluded by saying, “Thank you for your time, love, and hate, and thank you for your increased attention to the current situation.”.
