Escape from Tarkov has the ‘ETS’, which is otherwise known as the Early Test Server. It’s a platform that Battlestate Games uses to test out certain features, especially major, potentially game-breaking ones, before rolling them out on the public server. But how do you access the Escape from Tarkov ETS, and when you’re in, what happens there?
Once upon a time, players had to formally request access to the ETS, and there was no guarantee they’d get in. But in April 2026, the team at Battlestate Games opened the ETS to all players as they prepared a massive drive to produce new content and features.
Scroll down to learn how to get into the Tarkov ETS.
How to Unlock Tarkov ETS, Explained
Previously, to access the Tarkov ETS, players would have needed to submit an application via the game’s core launcher. The only prerequisite was that they had an active copy of Escape from Tarkov, but it was still tricky to get access, as nothing was guaranteed.
But in April 2026, the team unlocked the Early Test Server for everyone, adding new aiming-related changes first and foremost and seeking feedback from the community.
Here’s how you access the Escape from Tarkov ETS to trial these changes (and more) for yourself:
- Open the Battlestate Games launcher client
- In the bottom-right of the launcher, look for ‘Server: Live’
- Switch this using the drop-down menu to ‘ETS’
- Install the Early Test Server
- Boot it like you would the normal server
How Does the Early Test Server Work?
Per Battlestate Games’ guidelines, playing on the Early Test Server should go hand-in-hand with guarded expectations. It’s likely to experience bugs, network instability, and connection interruptions. It’s a test bed for new features and functions, after all.
The ETS servers will undergo wipes, just like the core game did in the years before the 1.0 launch in November 2025.
Everything you unlock and achieve on the ETS will not carry over to the base game, and you’re almost expected to use the in-game feedback form tied to the ETS to provide findings based on your experiences. This is the goal of the platform.
Are you going to install the Tarkov ETS and get started with the new features? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Metro 2039 is on one million wishlists
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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