Escape From Tarkov: Arena Gets Sandy Launch
Those who have been waiting for Escape From Tarkov: Arena have finally seen it, but there is a slight uproar for those who never got invited to the beta or owned Escape from Tarkov: Edge of Darkness.
The studio charged $35 for Escape from Tarkov: Arena unless the previous game was purchased. Those who purchased Escape from Tarkov: Edge of Darkness are exempt, as that game included access to Escape from Tarkov: Arena.
In light of the fact that Escape from Darkness no longer exists, users who are new to the game or never bought its predecessor will need to spend a bit of money to play. The game is currently available for purchase only through Battlestate Games’ website, which is leading to some confusion among players who feel it should be bundled with the core game rather than a standalone product.
According to Insider Gamer, in August 2023, the studio started accepting pre-orders for the game without revealing a launch date.
“Battlestate Games has revealed that Escape From Tarkov Arena pre-orders are live now – but there’s no confirmed release date for the standalone product. Over the last few months, plenty of information regarding BSG’s new competitive shooter has surfaced, but now we know more than ever – including the fact that character progress will be shared between Escape From Tarkov AND Arena.”
However, Battlestate Gamer was very clear on the ownership rights between the two editions. The post related that “For those that own the Edge of Darkness edition of Escape From Tarkov, ownership of Escape From Tarkov Arena is already secured – but you’ll still need to follow the pre-order process to secure the benefits for when the product inevitably goes live. If you don’t own ‘EOD’, you’ll need to pay around $40 or £32 to secure your Escape From Tarkov Arena pre-order.”
Users should be at least honest and honor simple agreements.