It is finally here – it has been 225 days since the last Tarkov wipe, but today, on August 10th, it’s happening again – and hundreds of thousands of players are preparing to return to the game. It’s a special time for Escape From Tarkov fans, as it means that for a brief period of time, every player is at the same level, has the same tasks, and access to almost the same equipment – it’s balanced, for a few days.
In a brief, two-minute trailer uploaded to Twitter, Battlestate Games showcased the all-new update, focusing heavily on the Streets of Tarkov expansion that’s coming to the game. There’s plenty coming this wipe – and thanks to a dense roadmap, we know that there are lots of plans in the pipeline for the months ahead.
Tarkov Wipe Drops Today – Get Ready to Escape
From a host of new weapons ranging from a punchy sawn-off shotgun to a devastatingly suppressing PKM, to an expansion to Streets of Tarkov, a new boss, and hundreds of changes, balances, and amendments, Tarkov’s 13.5 update (and the next wipe) is a sizeable affair.
Thanks to the roadmap that was published by Battlestate Games a month ago, we know that following this wipe, there are many impactful changes coming to the game, including:
- Updated trading UI
- Loadout presets
- Randomised loot container spawns
- Intuitive healing menu
- New hideout features
- Tweaked AI
- Rebalanced quests and tasks
This only happens once every six months or so, and the Tarkov wipe sends the game skyrocketing in popularity on every chart that’s relevant. For instance, in the coming days, platforms like Twitch and YouTube will be bombarded by streamers and content creators pouring every ounce of their time into the ‘early wipe gameplay’ that people have come to know and love.
Battlestate Games has confirmed that the patch to deploy the wipe and update 13.5 will kick off at 8am BST / 3am EDT, and it’ll take roughly six hours to complete. But, as any veteran will tell you, it’s likely to take longer, and when it’s completed, the game will almost certainly see instability from the huge influx of players getting involved.
All at the same time, millions of gamers will be running their starter kits, all completing the same tasks and fighting desperately to get through those early levels to get to LL15 and ‘unlock the flea’… If you know, you know.
Are you excited for the latest Tarkov wipe to hit, or are you taking some time away from Tarkov? Let us know in the comments.
For more Insider Gaming news, check out our exclusive coverage of PlayStation’s Project Cronos
