The closed beta for Escape From Tarkov Arena will officially launch tomorrow, December 17 2023.
The release of Arena was announced by Battlestate Games COO Nikita Buyanov, who showed up at DreamHack Hannover to confirm that Escape From Tarkov Arena will launch on December 17.
But just because the beta is going live, it doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed a spot to be able to play it, with invites set to go out in waves. The first wave of invites will go out after the final matches of the tournament at Dreamhack Hannover, however we do not know how large that wave will be or how long it will be until the next one.
Escape From Tarkov Arena is the competitive multiplayer spin-off of the main Tarkov game, using the same engine and shooting mechanics. However, the extraction shooter style play is gone in favour of a more combat-focused experience similar to Call of Duty. The game has been shown off at multiple events over recent months and initial feedback from those who have played it has been good.
The release comes as the first major esports event for Escape From Tarkov Arena takes place at DreamHack Hannover. The tournament features a €100k prize pool, with multiple top organisations signing teams to compete over the coming weekend. The tournament is the first truly high-level competition we have seen in Arena and will be a significant test for the game to see if it can make it as an esport. So far matches have been somewhat difficult to follow and the domination from one team has killed some of the hype, but it has proven that with some work Arena could be a great esport.
For those who don’t get into the first wave of the beta, more invites are expected to go out soon. The development team has said they plan to add new players as soon as they are sure the previous wave is stable and working as intended, although how long that will take remains to be seen.
If you didn’t get into the beta but still want some Tarkov action, the new wipe along with a brand new map is expected to hit towards the end of the year, with some fans thinking December 26 is a likely release date, while others are hoping for December 21. Until then, there is a brand new quest line for you to play, which has proven somewhat divisive among players.
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