Escape from Tarkov is currently flying high on Twitch. At times, almost 200,000 viewers watch channels on which the hardcore shooter is streamed. This makes Escape from Tarkov the most popular game on Twitch – not a bad feat for a game that has been in early access for three years.
While EFT has always generated a certain amount of interest on Twitch, the violent jump is still a special feature. While some of this may be due to increased audience interest, the bulk of the surge is more due to targeted marketing.
Big streamers play Tarkov
The developer Battlestate Games is stirring the drum for the three-year anniversary of the early access launch of the hardcore shooter. For this, the Russian studio apparently brought streamer onboard. Big names like Anton, DrLupo, Sacriel, MrGrimmmz, Pestily, and Cohh Carnage have been streaming Escape from Tarkov boost for days. At the same time, they attract a large audience that can be enthusiastic about the hardcore shooter. You may check from ifcarry.
At the same time, the developers are distributing Twitch drops: viewers of certain streamers get gifts for the game, such as weapons and equipment, at the turn of the year. To do this, you need to connect your Twitch account to your Tarkov account and watch one of around 200 participating streamers.
This is how Escape from Tarkov plays
Read our latest preview if you want to learn more about the gameplay of Escape from Tarkov. In a nutshell: Tarkov is a hardcore shooter with survival and role-playing elements for multiplayer, which is strongly designed for realism and authenticity. You perform raids in instanced areas to get as much valuable equipment as possible. In order to keep the stuff, you have to come out alive, which is made difficult by changing exits.
Other players try the same thing, just as they try to take your expensive stuff away from you. This is sometimes faster than you would like since Escape from Tarkov simulates complex injuries and a targeted shot can mean your end. If you die and no helpful friend takes your equipment with you, it is lost. The high entry hurdle and tactical demands make Escape from Tarkov a risky and intensive gaming experience. And that makes streaming gameplay potentially entertaining.
Why right now?
The question of why Battlestate Games developer is now starting a marketing offensive could be related to the repeatedly postponed Open Beta. In our interview, chief developer Nikita Buyanov explained that the postponements had taken place because they wanted to make sure that Escape from Tarkov made the best impression on new players.
So it is conceivable that the open beta is imminent. However, this information is not official. We have asked Battlestate Games for information and will update this message in the event of a response.
In any case, the timing would be in line with the developers’ earlier statements. Accordingly, the open beta should take place after the long-awaited player hiding place has been integrated. This happened with the latest update 0.12 for Escape from Tarkov. We will keep you up to date on further developments on this topic.
Getting off to a good start in Tarkov is tough. Maintaining favorable momentum is even harder. Because nothing is easier here than spending money on weapons and armor, then singing and getting rid of both without sound.
However, as soon as your money machine does its job reliably, the loss of expensive weapons and armor hardly hurts anymore. Here are our best tips to keep a healthy bank account in Escape from Tarkov.
Life as a rat
In Tarkov jargon, a rat is a player who is not directly involved in clashes but collects everything he can. This life does not impress with legendary gun battles, but with thick coin rolls in the backpack. In doing so, people sneak around at battle sites in the slowest, safest and quietest way to dust off all sorts of things.
If you choose to live in the shade, you should avoid one-on-one battles so as not to endanger your belongings. There are many places in Tarkov where usable loot is left because it is of no interest to players with high tier loot. Once they’re busy with bosses and other players, it’s your time to dust off.
A good place for loot on the map is Interchange. The IDEA and OLI department stores always have something useful on their shelves, but sneaking in and out unnoticed is not easy. Often PVP fights take place here (for example: with the OLI escalators), but over time you develop the perfect timing to “shop” in the rest phases.
Life as “Chad”
Contrary to the rat, Chad tries to confront others. Every shot on the card is a call to action. Equipped very expensive, to win as many battles as possible, they are always looking for bigger prey.
As soon as you have some experience and passable weapons and want to get involved in the top tier loot zones, you should know all the hotspots. In principle, these are close to the bosses, for example, Reshala at Customs or Shturman at Woods. The bosses and their bodyguards are equipped with top-loot loadouts, which bring a lot of money.
In addition, each boss has a unique item such as the Shturman key, which opens a box in the woods (lumber yard). But killing the boss is only half the job. The other half is to successfully get the reward out. But other players and AI opponents will not make it easy for you.
Being able to switch back and forth between boss fight and conflict with other players is a key element in the game. The opportunity to recognize when a squad is the laughing third party in a confrontation also pays off tremendously. It doesn’t always have to be boss equipment. It is only important to have enough ammunition for serious firefights.
No matter what level you are and what your preferred style of play is, there are numerous ways to make money with every run.
