Battlestate Games introduced PvE to Escape from Tarkov a few months back, and it was a divisive decision that was met with mixed reviews. Many hardcore players claimed it was stripping ‘the point’ out of Escape from Tarkov, while the more casual players welcomed the change with open arms – once they’d bought the mode, of course.
In the Tarkov community, playing PvE is somewhat stigmatised. It’s often met with jibes from the more skilled players claiming that it’s ‘the easy way out’, or something similar. However, in a recent revelation, Battlestate Games’ Nikita Buyanov highlighted just how many people play PvE – and the number will surprise you.
Even Stevens
During a recent Tarkov TV stream, Nikita – the head of the studio at Battlestate Games – got onto the topic of PvE player numbers. It has long been thought that PvE gamers represent the minority in Escape from Tarkov, and while that’s true sometimes, it was proven by the numbers that things balance out over time.
Nikita said:
At the start of a wipe, 15 – 20% of players choose PvE, and 80% go for PvP. However, as the wipe progresses, the player ratio becomes roughly 50/50%.
When the ‘wipe’ hits Tarkov – as it did a week ago – hundreds of thousands of players come flooding back to see what’s new and to kickstart an all-new playthrough, taking on the early-game tasks once again. However, the player count dwindles over time, as do other elements like viewership.
It can become stagnant within a month or two, with many players drifting off as the power players become established. Before long, it’s seen as being ‘too late’ to start the wipe, given that you’d be coming in as a fresh player against high-level opponents with the best weapons and armour.
The endgame loop also gets tiring for those who make it there as quickly as possible. Once the core tasks are completed and all the boxes have been ticked, it’s an endless grind of daily and weekly challenges and fruitless PvP battles.
The answer? It’s PvE.
By playing PvE, you access a more balanced playing field – perhaps an easy playing field. It’s a great introduction to Escape from Tarkov’s maps, modes, and mechanics, and in PvE, all you’re missing is real-world opponents. Aside from that element, everything else is effectively identical.
As the wipe goes on, 50% of Escape from Tarkov’s players gravitate towards PvE, and that’s a huge figure. Are you one of them? Let us know on the GPlayr forum.
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