In a post on social media, Battlestate Games’ Nikita Buyanov, the head of the studio, has revealed the current player numbers in Escape from Tarkov. It’s a shocking revelation to behold, as it confirms that, potentially for the first time in this game’s history, PvE players outnumber PvP-focused players.
For those not in the know, Escape from Tarkov spent several years establishing a presence as one of the most hardcore, challenging first-person extraction shooters in the business, and it was always focused very heavily on PvP-based combat mechanics and emergent scenarios.
Are times changing? Are we suffering from PvP fatigue?
PvE Players Are Taking Over Escape from Tarkov
To be fair, a lot of the ‘PvE community’ will be made up of hybridized players that enjoy both sides of the fence. Nikita revealed several months ago that, by the end of a wipe in Escape from Tarkov, the player base split around 50-50 between PvE and PvP. Even with the addition of PvP Seasons, a new way to explore the game, PvE is still reigning supreme right now.
In a recent post, Buyanov confirmed the split:
So, here is current stat of players split in Tarkov:
25% PvP
15% PvP Season
60% PvE
The discourse in the comments kicked off immediately. It’s no big secret that Escape from Tarkov’s core community is a vocal one.
One user tried to stay positive for all: ‘For what it is worth; I think instead of everybody arguing about who is on what mode, at least we can come together and state that regardless of mode, everybody is enjoying the game.’
Others spoke in favor of PvE: ‘People are tired of cheaters. PVE to be FREE!’
And others bagged on it: ‘PvP players aren’t playing PvE now that’s for (pussies). They just quit the game like me.’
There’s something of an air of PvP fatigue in the gaming space right now. It’s more visible in certain games than others. Most recently, Call of Duty’s DMZ platform went live with the launch of Modern Warfare 4, and immediately, players started calling for a PvE offering. That was mostly driven by PvP-preferred players treating it like another battle royale platform and killing all and sundry.
Almost every extraction shooter in the business has something for PvE players, and some have launched with nothing but PvE, which is the case with games like Incursion Red River or Escape from Duckov.
Do you think PvE is becoming more popular in general in the extraction space? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that the Saudi Arabian PIF might buy Unity, and don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter
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.
More from Grant Taylor-Hill
Comments