The latest wipe in Escape From Tarkov has sparked a wave of passionate reactions, both from fans and the developers. The wipe, which was dubbed the “Hardcore Wipe,” introduced significant changes that many players have found challenging. Server wipes are a staple of the game, which has been around since 2017, but this one goes further than most, leaving players struggling to get back to their pre-wipe status.
The new wipe removed quests and maps and has introduced slower progression and increased difficulty, making it harder than ever to recover and maintain your in-game progress.
Despite developer BattleState Games claiming to be closely monitoring feedback and making necessary adjustments post-wipe, the player base is far from thrilled. One player tweeted directly at the studio head, Nikita Buyanov, saying, “you destroyed your game, bro.” Buyanov, not one to shy away from strong opinions, responded with a blunt, “Oh, shut the f**k up.” Though he later clarified in a different post, saying he was joking and that every opinion matters, his response sparked further controversy.
Some players are urging the developers to make quick changes, fearing that the game’s hardcore direction will drive away its player base. A few feel that Tarkov has gone too far with its difficulty changes, stripping away the core elements that made the game unique. Buyanov disagreed, suggesting that some of these critics didn’t experience Tarkov in its earlier, more brutal days.
On Reddit, the response has been divided, with many players venting their frustrations. One post, showing a user uninstalling the game, garnered hundreds of upvotes. Some players have even gone as far as to say that they would rather do household chores than play the game in its current state. “Turned on the PC. Saw that they actually implemented transit only, no tasks, and everything is dummy expensive. I actually turned off the PC and went and built outdoor furniture for the wife in the 92° heat. That’s more fun than playing the wipe rn,” one Reddit user remarked.
Others shared their gripes with the game’s current state, highlighting issues such as waiting long load times, encountering silent killer spawns, and the removal of quests. A particularly vocal critic even tweeted that the game had “lost its identity” due to the developers trying to please streamers, instead of sticking to what made Tarkov great.
To BattleState’s credit, Buyanov has been transparent about the lack of quests, acknowledging that players won’t have quests for some time. However, he assured the community that they are working on fixing broken features, like Transits. Some players have opted to remain more relaxed, suggesting that vocal complainers should be ignored.
Escape from Tarkov offers a hardcore survival shooter experience, blending first- and third-person gameplay. The game forces players to navigate a Russian city, fighting to survive and unravel its mysteries. However, death in the game means losing everything you brought with you, adding a layer of tension and stakes. For better or worse, the latest wipe is undoubtedly making waves, with a divided fanbase and a studio head whose blunt responses are making headlines.