In a rare extreme for monetization, Escape from Tarkov dev doubles down on locking new PvE mode behind $250 edition as players chant "this cannot be tolerated"

Update: Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has responded to the backlash around the new PvE mode tied to the game's $250 Unheard Edition, and it ain't good news. Like a blackjack player feeling lucky, Battlestate has gone for the double down.  

"PvE mode is a unique feature which is available only for the owners of The Unheard Edition," the dev tweeted. "We will keep you updated on new features exclusive for EOD [Edge of Darkness] owners."

Original story:

Iconic extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov is taking a beating from players after rolling out a $250 "Unheard Edition" which includes, among several features criticized as pay-to-win, exclusive access to a new PvE co-op mode. 

The official pre-order page spells out what this pricey edition gets you – an enhanced stash, expanded PMC pockets, more slots on the in-game flea market, and a unique melee weapon amid several other bonuses. The community has pounced on one bullet point in particular: "Access to PvE co-op mode with persistent progression. Progression will not be reset with wipes." This is a substantial shift from the game's normal, lose-it-all PvP formula, and therefore something a lot of players are interested in. 

At the time of writing, this $250 edition is the only version of the game that mentions this mode at all. Others, down to the $50 standard edition, provide "guaranteed instant access to closed beta," but there's no trace of the new game mode itself. 

Much of the outrage stems from the fact that owners of previous editions of Escape from Tarkov, most notably the recently delisted Edge of Darkness edition which bundled in a load of prior content and DLC like access to the Tarkov Arena, seemingly won't get things like this PvE mode without an upgrade or new purchase. This has led to some heated and confused debate over what's classified as DLC and what's intentionally sold a la carte. 

On Discord, lead community manager apple3z0r of developer Battlestate Games argues that the mode "ain't DLC, it's [a] unique feature of the new edition added." In a follow-up comment, they add: "DLC means additional downloadable content. PvE is a feature and a game mode. Just because you all want it to become a DLC it wouldn't mean it is one. It’s [a] featured game mode for the new edition of the game."

The high paywall on this new game mode has sparked sizable backlash. The Unheard Edition trailer currently has 30,000 dislikes to 5,100 likes on YouTube, and the game's subreddit is ablaze with so many posts about the new edition that even the moderators declared "the gates are open." 

"Complain away, it's P2W and a betrayal of players' trust / support of this game over the years," the mod team wrote." The official Twitter post about the new edition has gotten similar responses. 

Likewise, the official Tarkov Discord is currently being besieged by a lengthy, admittedly somewhat dramatic message copy-pasted en masse. The message is 131 words long, but most users are spamming it multiple times to fill up Discord's default character cap, turning many channels into unreadable rivers of text. I've seen reports saying the Discord was frozen for a time, but it's sure as hell open now. Here's the full player chant for reference: 

"Since 2016, players have supported the developers by purchasing the highest edition of the game. For 8 years, we've been recommending this game to friends, bringing more and more players into the community. And what was the developers' response? They've blown us off, refuse to comment, and only encourage those who have lost all respect for themselves and continue to pour money in. I personally had high hopes for Tarkov. In my eyes, it was a high-quality and most ambitious product on the entire market. This is unacceptable. This is selfish. This is disrespectful. You've disgraced yourselves completely. You've lost loyal players, you've betrayed the idea. It's disgusting. To everyone who feels the same way - don't be silent. Spam, make memes, spread the word wherever it's relevant. This cannot be tolerated." 

English community manager Shiro seemed to acknowledge the complaints in one message, explaining why the Discord server hadn't been locked down: "Because that isn't the righ [sic] way to deal with things. People are rightfulyl [sic] mad, shutting it down would only make things worse." (I've left typos in uncorrected simply to ensure total clarity.) 

Another user asked if this statement can be read as tacit admission regarding the new edition – well, what they proposed was, "We know what we are doing is wrong and you have every right to be mad about it. But fuck you" – but Shiro clarified: "Nah, that is just the way you want to read it. All I said is that shutting down the Discord isn't the way to deal with outrage. Anything more than that you are just projecting into the message. This is the last I will comment on it. You have the right to be mad, but if you are going to purposely misinterpret what is being said then that is the end of any discussion. Have a nice day." 

This post-apocalyptic open-world game with mech suits and grappling hooks is the next extraction shooter to watch.