Escape from Tarkov patch 12.12.30 is live, bringing new content and a wipe to the military multiplayer FPS. With the latest update, Battlestate Games also continues its silence regarding the war in Ukraine, with the Russian studio only cursorily acknowledging the conflict in recent months.
What's coming in Escape from Tarkov patch 12.12.30?
We first got some details regarding the contents of Escape from Tarkov patch 12.12.30 back in early June. This patch is bringing some changes to the Lighthouse area; you can now visit the island on which the Lighthouse is located and explore some new water treatment plant interiors. The patch also adds three new bosses, who will spawn at random locations and move between them, too. These bosses will contact one another and will assist each other in combat, too, so they should add a new level of challenge for thrill-seeking players.
There's a bunch more content in the patch, too. With this update, the Escape from Tarkov co-op mode finally launches (albeit only for players with the Edge of Darkness pre-order pack). Co-op raids work identically to online raids, but progress won't be saved and gear won't be lost on death. This should give you the ideal environment to enjoy Tarkov in a slightly less stressful capacity. Escape from Tarkov patch 12.12.30 also brings a whole host of animation tweaks and reworks, as well as new weapons like the MP-18 rifle and the SAG AK carbine. You should also notice visual and audio improvements, as well as a lot of bugfixes and gameplay tweaks. The full Escape from Tarkov patch notes can be found here. The update is also bringing a wipe with it, so be sure you're ready for that.
Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate's silence is worrying
It's no secret that Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate Games is based in Russia. When Vladimir Putin gave the order to invade Ukraine in February, many gaming industry luminaries and studios took notice; companies like Microsoft and CD Projekt halted sales entirely in Russia, and pro-Ukraine bundles were launched by the likes of Fanatical, Humble, and Itch.io. It's fair to say that the gaming industry's response was pretty swift and near-unanimous in condemning Putin and his war in Ukraine, but one studio that has remained relatively silent is Battlestate Games.
The only comment that Battlestate Games has made regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine is that "everything will be fine" with its game. This is likely in response to the fact that when the war started, the in-game Tarkov economy, which is built on the Russian rouble, suffered a big hit. The developer has never publicly condemned Vladimir Putin or Russia's invasion of Ukraine, nor does it appear to have made any contributions to anti-war efforts or Ukrainian relief organizations. This latest Escape from Tarkov patch marks yet another milestone for the game, and it's one that has once again passed without any mention whatsoever of the war in Ukraine.
There could be several reasons for this. Battlestate Games is, as we've established, based in Russia, and Vladimir Putin is well-known for stamping out resistance of any kind. If Battlestate makes any comments criticizing Putin's regime or his war, then the developers could be in real danger, so it's possible they're trying not to fall foul of the state's repressive nature. However, it's also true that Battlestate has, according to Ukrainian news platform Babel.ua, worked with the Russian military-industrial complex extensively in the past. The studio has filmed promotional videos alongside the Russian military using the Kalashnikov rifle, for example, and lead developer Nikita Buyanov has recorded videos alongside noted anti-Ukrainian content creator Dmitry Puchkov. Battlestate Games has never declared public support for the war in Ukraine, but the studio's employees have openly associated with people who are pro-war. In that light, Battlestate's silence takes on an altogether more grim aspect. We've reached out to Battlestate Games for comment on this issue.
