Escape from Tarkov: Arena Launches on Epic Games Store in Early Access

Escape from Tarkov: Arena has presented an official page on the Epic Games Store in Early Access. This spin-off of the multiplayer tactical first-person shooter is set in the same world as the original Escape from Tarkov and developed by Battlestate Games as well.

The new title in Tarkov’s universe features over 200 customizable weapons that can be tweaked with multiple attachments. The game offers four game modes:

• Last Hero, a classic Free for All respawn game mode where players compete individually to score the most points within a set time,
• BlastGang is a 5v5 mode when one team plants the exploding device, and the other team must stop or deactivate it,
• TeamFight is a 5v5 game mode in which teams must either eliminate opponents within the time limit or capture objectives in overtime,
• CheckPoint is a 5v5 game mode that implies teams capture and hold objectives to gain full control of the map.

It is worth noting that a year ago, Escape From Tarkov faced backlash over controversial Unheard Edition pricing and DLC access.

Unheard Edition was released with a price of $250. That new version has stirred controversy, with players who invested in the previously released Edge of Darkness (EOD) Edition priced at $150 feeling betrayed by the studio’s decision to lock new content behind a paywall because it contradicted prior developer’s promises of free access to all subsequent DLCs.

The backlash escalated to the point where the studio head, Nikita Buyanov, addressed the community’s concerns on the official Escape from Tarkov subreddit, initially defending the studio’s decision. He stated that the new features, including the offline mode and high-priority matchmaking, would be available to EOD players but only for a limited time—specifically, six months.

In a follow-up statement, Buyanov offered a further explanation regarding the offline PvE mode. According to him, although the mode is offline, players must access separate Battlestate servers to play it. This technical limitation, according to the COO, makes it impossible for EOD owners to access it, as the necessary infrastructure isn’t in place. He promised that the mode would be available for free when the full game is released.

To help ease tensions, the studio offered a 50% discount on the Unheard Edition for EOD players, alongside a 70% discount for those wanting early access to the PvE mode.

Escape from Tarkov: Arena is currently available on Early Access which the game entered in December 2023. Players can install it via the Battlestate Games launcher, which requires an Escape from Tarkov account, and can already wishlist it through the Epic Games Store to grab Early Access there when launched. As of 2025, Escape from Tarkov has reached over 10 million registered players since its closed beta launch in 2017.