"New Year Special Revealed in Escape from Tarkov Wipe"

The much-anticipated wipe for Escape from Tarkov was originally scheduled to occur before the New Year, primarily to facilitate a special, less challenging quest aimed at obtaining the Kappa container. However, the developers have now set a definitive date and time for the update: December 26 at 7:00 AM GMT / 2:00 AM EST. This update will bring the game to version 0.16.0.0, while Tarkov Arena will be updated to version 0.2.5.0.

Typically, the game undergoes maintenance for approximately 8 hours during updates, though past experiences suggest that this duration might extend further. To keep the community engaged during this downtime, Battlestate Games has planned a special New Year event on Twitch, scheduled for 4:00 PM GMT / 11:00 AM EST. While the specifics of what will be showcased remain under wraps, the promise of additional content is certainly exciting.

Table of Contents

• What’s new in update 0.16.0.0?

What’s new in update 0.16.0.0?

The update to version 0.16.0.0 signals that the full release of Escape from Tarkov is still on the horizon, likely not arriving until 2025. Here’s what players can look forward to in this update:

Firstly, the game is expected to transition to the Unity 2022 engine. This upgrade has been in the works for quite some time, and according to the developers' roadmap for 2024, this shift should have already taken place. However, it’s important to remember that not all plans come to fruition as expected.

Secondly, a significant overhaul of the weapon recoil system is anticipated. This change is pivotal as it directly affects gameplay dynamics, potentially altering the balance between success and failure in combat scenarios.

Additionally, new weapons like the RPG-26 are expected to be introduced. The Customs map is also set for a rework, promising intriguing modifications to the terrain and gameplay. Alongside these additions, several bugs are slated for fixes, and quality-of-life improvements will be implemented. However, it’s worth noting that the engine upgrade might introduce new challenges. Only time will tell how these changes will impact the overall gaming experience.