Escape from Tarkov’s Long-Awaited Full Release Is Off to a Rough Start

Back in 2017, Escape from Tarkov reshaped the extraction shooter genre when it launched into Early Access. The game is widely credited with pioneering a genre that has since spawned hits like ARC Raiders. But after 8 years in Early Access, many fans wondered whether the game would ever get its 1.0 release. At long last, on November 15th, Escape from Tarkov is celebrating its full release. Unfortunately, it’s not off to a great start.

It’s only been a few months since Battlestate Games confirmed the long-awaited 1.0 launch of Escape from Tarkov. Since then, fans have been eager to see what the full launch of the beloved extraction shooter would bring. The full launch brings plenty of new content to the game, including enhanced graphics, new end-game content, and new weapons and mechanics. But as the game attracts an influx of new and returning players with its 1.0 launch, Escape from Tarkov servers look to be struggling.

Escape from Tarkov Reviews Rename Game “Escape from Launcher” Amid Day-One Server Issues

Shortly after its full release, Escape from Tarkov saw an influx of new players on Steam. But as around 21,000 players tried to jump into the game at the same time, negative reviews began flooding the game’s Steam page. Many complaints harken back to the game’s third-party launcher, which looks to be the primary Escape from Tarkov most players have been able to experience so far.

“One of the most premium pieces of launcher software I’ve ever purchased,” jokes one reviewer, going on to praise the use of “Error Red” and “Maintenance Grey.” Many other reviews simply read “Escape from Launcher,” as players grow frustrated spending hours trying to actually launch the game. One reviewer with 5.8 hours of Escape from Tarkov on record claims all of that time has been spent simply trying to log into the game’s launcher.

Given the complaints about maintenance messages, it’s likely that Battlestate Games is aware of the launch issues and is working to fix them. In fact, many players who’ve been around throughout Early Access say that server issues with new updates are nothing new. Though gamers are frustrated that such snags haven’t been worked out ahead of the full launch for Escape from Tarkov, it does suggest things should smooth out in a day or so.

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Although the Steam launch in 1.0 isn’t off to the best start, quite a few Escape from Tarkov players are giving positive reviews based on their experience with the game in Early Access. As one longtime player puts it, “it’s gonna be a blast once everything settles in a few hours.” With any luck, players will be able to actually experience Escape from Tarkov soon.

Escape from Tarkov is available now for PC via Steam. The standard edition costs $49.99, with an introductory discount of 15% off now through November 29th.

Are you going to check out Escape from Tarkov once the initial launch snags settle down? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!