If you don’t know how to download Escape From Tarkov and play it, now is the perfect time to find out.
That’s because an EFT wipe is coming very soon. So every single player will be starting at almost the base level of stats, rep and skills gained, making it an advantageous position for any new gamer.
What you lose after Tarkov wipes varies depending on the patch. But ‘practically everything’ is the expression that fits the bill here.
If you’re thinking of trying out the game, don’t miss a chance to start on a level playing field, seeing as an update is imminent.
The Escape From Tarkov download isn’t available on any major PC game distribution service such as Steam or Epic Games.
In fact, the developers have not even officially released the game! Battlestate Games has gone along with a preorder-to-access strategy for Tarkov.
To help clear the confusion, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to download and play Tarkov on your PC.
What is Escape From Tarkov?
Escape From Tarkov (EFT) is a hardcore loot-and-shoot battle-royale game. The raids in the game take place in Tarkov city, the capital of a fictional world called Norvinsk.
You get to play as a character in either of the two warring factions — USEC and BEAR. Your aim is to shoot enemies, collect items, and survive the raids to extract yourself from the hot zone successfully.
However, Escape From Tarkov sets itself apart from other popular titles in the FPS battle royale genre by its stunning realism and highly challenging rules.
For example, the ballistic elements mimic real-life combat closely. Jammed and overheated guns cost you your life in the game.
Some development team members have had actual military experience; perhaps that is the reason for the hyperrealistic combat mechanics.
Finally, the game is ruthlessly challenging for players. For example, you lose all your loot if you die in a raid.
Such strict rules make it ideal for hardcore gamers who thrive on being stretched to their limits.
How To Download Escape From Tarkov And Play It?
Despite its excellent gameplay, how to play Escape from Tarkov remains elusive to many new gamers.
The confusion stems from the lack of accurate information about how to download Tarkov in the first place.
Battlestate Games launched EFT as a closed alpha to select users in August 2016. It then extended this to an open alpha version in December 2016 by giving it out to those who pre-ordered it and purchased the Edge of Darkness release.
Finally, Escape From Tarkov was released as a closed beta when anyone could play it by pre-ordering and purchasing one of the four available editions. The game is still in this mode.
Long story short, PC users can’t access this game in the usual way on either Steam or Epic Games Store.
You have to download it from the official website. You also need to register your account and enter these credentials to log in in the future.
Finally, you have to use the Battlestate Games launcher (also simply referred to as the EFT launcher by gamers) to launch the downloaded file. Scroll down to our mini-tutorial for the detailed steps on how to do this.
What are the Four Editions available for download?
Battlestate lets you download Escape From Tarkov in one of four pre-order editions in the current closed beta mode of the game.
There is the basic Standard Edition and the slightly richer Left Behind Edition. However, hardcore gamers should buy one of the higher-end releases – the Prepare for Escape Edition or the Edge of Darkness Limited Edition.
Each higher edition features more content and weapons. Naturally, the prices also increase as you move up the order – you can expect to pay £34.99 ($49.99) for the Standard Edition, while the top-end Edge of Darkness version will set you back by £109.99 (139.99).
Step-By-Step Guide on How to Download and Play Tarkov
You can follow along with the steps provided below to purchase and launch EFT. This guide provides a complete breakdown of the process you have to follow.
Step 1:
Head over to the official website here. Then click on the big Pre-Order banner at the center of the Home page.
Step 2:
You will now land on the preorder page. You can see the four editions listed here.
Step 3:
Choose the version you like on the preorder page. Click on it and follow along with the instructions. Complete the process to make your purchase and register your account.
Step 4:
Now head back to the Home page. On this page, log in with the details of your account.
Step 5:
Once you log in, you arrive on the Profile page. Here you will notice your purchase listed along with an Install button. Click on it to install the Battlestate Games launcher.
Step 6:
Next, search for the Battlestate Games launcher download file on your PC. Open this file and click the Install button to begin Tarkov’s installation process. Follow along with the instructions and wait for the download to complete.
Step 7:
When you finish these steps, you will finally download Escape From Tarkov on your PC. You can start playing the game by clicking on the Escape From Tarkov launcher!
As you can see from above, the process of downloading and playing EFT is complicated. Battlestate Games have stated their intention of releasing the game as a full purchase version.
Once that happens, it will hopefully become easier to download. However, there is also speculation that the developers will make EFT available on Steam after the official launch. If they do so, it would be a real blessing for the game’s fans.
Free Trial Codes – An Alternative?
There are currently no free trial codes for Tarkov to let you gift the game to a friend on a shoe-string budget.
Still, do not lose all hope. Battlestate gave free trial codes to all game owners in late 2018, with an expiry period of about two weeks.
So keep your fingers crossed for such a bounty in the future too. However, it’s anybody’s guess if this will happen or not.
EFT System Requirements
Escape From Tarkov is a real resource-guzzler, and you need to pack your PC with a top-notch processor, RAM, and GPU to get the ideal looting and shooting in-game experience.
The game’s developers have released an extensive list of minimum system requirements:
- Platform – 64-bit Windows 7/8/10 OS
- CPU – Intel Core 2 Duo i3 2.4 GHz, AMD Athlon Phenom II 2.6 GHz
- RAM – 8GB minimum
- Graphics Card – DX11, should be compatible with at least 1GB Virtual RAM
- Hard Disk Space – 8GB minimum
- Connectivity – Continuous Internet access
If you are looking to purchase the game, make sure that your system has at least the minimum specifications stated above.
The game is notoriously demanding, and even the configuration above might not be enough for some.
You will hardly go higher than 20 FPS, which will ruin it’s famous hyper-realistic elements.
In this light, here are our recommended specifications for ensuring Tarkov runs smoothly on your PC. (We’ve only mentioned the components that need upgrades down below. The rest can stay the same as on the above list of the minimum specs.)
- CPU – Intel Core i5 or i7 with at least 3.2GHz clock speed, AMD FX 3.6GHz
- RAM – 12GB and above
- Graphics Card – DX11, but should support up to 2GB Virtual RAM
- SSD – Tarkov features rich graphical elements like detailed terrains and other assets that often reload while playing. It is best to use a fast read-write SSD to avoid any lags because of these factors.
We hope our detailed guide helps you choose the right pre-order Tarkov edition. Also, our step-by-step mini-tutorial should assist you in downloading and enjoying this fantastic game.
We sign off with a brief FAQs section.
Q. How to install Escape From Tarkov on PC?
The process for downloading and installing Escape From Tarkov on a PC is slightly complicated.
Please follow along with the steps in our guide above to do so. Once it is installed, you can click on the Battlestate Games launcher to enjoy the game.
Q. System requirements for Escape From Tarkov?
The game consumes a lot of resources on your PC. Due to this, you must have a system with the minimum specifications mentioned on our list above.
However, we suggest upgrading to the recommended specifications in our guide to make sure Tarkov runs smoothly on your PC.
