It’s that time of the year when the weather turns colder, the days grow shorter, and the gaming community is abuzz with news about Escape From Tarkov. This time, the buzz is all about the game’s upcoming release on Steam. While bringing the game to Steam seems like a logical move, there’s some controversy surrounding whether players will have to purchase the game again.
According to the FAQ page, to play Escape from Tarkov on Steam, you will need to purchase any edition of the game on the platform. You can then link your existing Battlestate Games account to your Steam profile. If your editions differ, the game will default to the higher edition when launched through Steam.
For example, if you own the standard edition on Steam but have the Unheard Edition on your Battlestate Games account, you will have access to the Unheard Edition on Steam. It’s an interesting setup, but it raises the question of why players would want to buy the game again, especially since there are no plans for Steam Deck support. However, Steam achievements will be available for those interested.
Fortunately, all character progress will transfer to the Steam version once your accounts are linked, and you will still play on the same servers as players who purchased the game from the official website.
It’s unclear how feasible it would be to provide every current game owner with a Steam copy, but the decision certainly raises eyebrows. Regardless, after years of early access, the full version of Escape From Tarkov is set to launch on November 15th.
