Battlestate Games has today kicked off an all-new temporary mode in Escape from Tarkov: Arena, dubbed ‘CheckPoint: Knives Out’, which was inspired by a recent technical issue. It’s not often that a bug directly contributes to a streak of innovation in a game, but every cloud has a silver lining, and this one has introduced knife-only battles to Arena.
BSG confirmed that the special mode will start today and will run until June 9th, allowing players to participate in knife fights on Fort and Bay 5 to secure boosted XP multipliers and a unique achievement. Like other similar events, when it’s gone, it’s gone.
CheckPoint: Knives Out Starts in Tarkov: Arena
Battlestate wrote in a recent press release that hte idea for the CheckPoint: Knives Out mode came from a bug that surfaced with the 0.5.1.1 patch. This error temporarily restricted players to melee-only damage, rendering conventional, ballistic weaponry entirely useless.
Bizarrely, players leapt on the topic and stressed their enjoyment, and lo and behold, Battlestate decided to make it a more fleshed-out event with a new achievement.
Here’s how it works:
- Combat Rules: Complete restriction on firearms. All participants enter the “Fort” and “Bay 5” arenas equipped exclusively with melee weapons.
- Progress Boost: XP earned in the CheckPoint mode is doubled (2x), and Battle Pass XP is increased by 1.5 (1.5x), respectively.
- Quests and Rewards: A special chain of 3 quests has been added to the game. Completing the entire chain awards a unique event achievement.
In the Escape from Tarkov world, melee weapons are often easily overlooked, unless you’re talking about a more practical item like a Red Rebel pick in the base extraction shooter game. This mode is a great reminder that they a) do exist, and b) can be the source of stacks of entertainment.
Remember: Knives Out will only run until June 8th, so participate while you can.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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