Escape from Tarkov is a popular niche title that blends looting and exploring with incredible realism in an unforgiving first-person shooter. But the latest edition of the game might be giving an unfair advantage to anyone whose willing to open their wallets.
Players are complaining about the game’s new “pay-to-win” Unheard Edition, which gives users a good amount of extra gear and resources, expanded inventory, increased starting level of certain skills, more PMC pocket space, more slots in the game’s Flea Market, and increased standing with Fences.
The Unheard Edition will cost players a whopping $250 to buy a massive jump start for themselves compared to the other players who only have the regular edition or the Edge of Darkness edition. If players did buy the Edge of Darkness edition, they’d still have to pay about $80 to upgrade to the Unheard Edition.
In a game where players must grind and explore for weapons, resources, and character levels, this new edition has become a massive point of contention in the Tarkov community. For example, one of the unique items that Unheard Edition owners gain access to is the Mark of the Unheard, which gives a 50 percent discount for any cash-required services in-game, like vehicle extracts.
“[Edge of Darkness] was a slippery slope, [but] everyone bought it,” one user on the Tarkov subreddit said. “I told people if you pay for pay to win, you will get more of it. They said it’s pay for convenience, so this is still pay to convenience then. Welcome to real world, you’re gonna learn today.”
Any insured weapons that are lost during a raid will also return 30 percent faster, and at a six fence rep and higher, Scavenger AI will not shoot at Unheard owners over 60 meters away. This will be exceptionally easy to spot after server resets, where everyone will be brought back to level one, but Unheard owners will already have a massive head start over their peers.
