Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has come in for criticism regarding the announcement of the game's new Unheard Edition, which appears to grant access to a co-op PvE mode no other version seemingly includes.
On the game's official pre-order page, the list of benefits for pre-ordering the €250 Unheard Edition includes "access to PvE co-op mode with persistent progression", which isn't listed as a benefit for any of the game's other editions.
This appears to include the Edge of Darkness edition, which was discontinued earlier this year and which pledged to offer access to all future DLC for Escape from Tarkov, although that doesn't seem to encompass the new PvE mode.
The official Escape from Tarkov forums are absolutely chock-a-block with posts from disgruntled users complaining about the Unheard Edition. Some suggest Battlestate should offer refunds for the Edge of Darkness edition, while others simply advise boycotting the Unheard Edition.
Things aren't looking much better on the Escape from Tarkov subreddit, either. One user describes the Unheard Edition as a "disgusting" pay-to-win package, for instance, while another calls the new version "scummy even for [Battlestate Games]". Ouch.
Battlestate's response, at least according to a user posting a Discord message from a Battlestate rep, seems to be that the co-op PvE mode included in the Unheard Edition is a "unique feature of the new edition" and doesn't constitute DLC, which is why Edge of Darkness buyers aren't getting it.
Judging by the reaction from Escape from Tarkov players, it doesn't seem to me like that explanation is going to cut it.
We'll have to wait and see whether or not Battlestate can mollify its community over this, but I think it's going to take some pretty big pricing or structure changes to achieve that.
In the meantime, if this whole affair hasn't left a bad taste in your mouth, you can grab Escape from Tarkov via its official website. We've reached out to Battlestate Games for comment on this story and will update if we hear anything back.
