A trailer has been released for the much awaited 0.13 patch for Escape From Tarkov, which includes new gameplay elements, a whole new area, under-barrel grenade launchers, and numerous new firearms. Many fans are ecstatic with what is being called Escape From Tarkov’s most comprehensive patch to date.
With its punishing mil-sim mechanics and ruthless PvPvE gameplay cycle, Escape From Tarkov helped establish the extraction shooter genre when it was first launched as a closed alpha in 2016. Going through a succession of substantial additions and shakeups, the ebb and flow of the game operates on wipes with each of its important patches, as player advancement and inventories are reset, and the game’s universe is formed again every time new material is presented. The most recent wipe patch happened in June 2022, and it includes an addition to the Lighthouse map, an extended offline co-op option, new weaponry, and a slew of bug fixes and graphics enhancements. Due to a lack of communication between Battlestate Games and its fan base, the period between patches is fraught with player conjecture, and the next wipe looms big.
Battlestate Games has published a clip depicting numerous new weaponry being used on its years-in-the-making Streets of Tarkov map, after fans gave their best estimations for the release date of Escape From Tarkov’s 0.13 patch. Streets of Tarkov, the ninth playable area introduced to Escape From Tarkov and by far the game’s most ambitious, was initially promised in 2020. (with a scrapped version of the map shown as far back as 2018). The two-minute video captures a feeling of size and verticality never before seen in Escape From Tarkov’s playable places, elucidating why the map has taken so long to complete. While the video does not specify a release date, the announcement of a Twitch Drops event for Escape From Tarkov on December 29 and the continual stream of pre-wipe events throughout the month of December suggest that the patch will be available soon.
Aside from the Streets of Tarkov map, the video also shows off the Steyr AUG, Ash 12 revolver, and SR2MP weaponry. Observant viewers will also note that the last frame of the video previews what many assume to be the new Lighthouse Keeper NPC and merchant. As is customary with Escape From Tarkov, there will undoubtedly be lots of extra stuff added in 0.13 that Battlestate Games does not like to reveal. That customary mystique has made some fans wary of the announcement, questioning why there was such a fuss over something they already knew was coming.
The excitement around Escape From Tarkov’s 0.13 patch is palpable. Part of the player population believes the game has become stagnant over the course of 2022, but they remain optimistic that the combination of a fresh wipe and new map will breathe new life into a game that is unlike any other (imitators notwithstanding). Time will tell if the buzz is justified, but for now, Escape From Tarkov fans may rejoice.
