Instead of looting, fight ing is the top priority in Arena mode.
Escape from Tarkov is considered a flagship for mercilessly realistic shooters – no game simulates weapons, ammunition and hits in such detail; a headshot usually means the end.
The new offshoot EFT: Arena wants to pack the celebrated gunplay into crisp team fights on small maps so that players can sneak around less and fight more. But less than 24 hours after publication it was already raining massive criticism from the community.
What’s going wrong in Escape From Tarkov: Arena
Access in waves
Actually, everyone who pre-orders EFT: Arena (costs 38 dollars) and buyers of the Edge of Darkness version of the main game (155 dollars) should receive access to the game immediately after its release. But the majority of players are currently waiting in vain.
What’s particularly annoying is that countless Twitch streamers, some of whom only spent a few hours in Tarkov, were given immediate access – presumably to advertise the game for free.
Meanwhile, thousands of players who bought their EoD edition six years ago are still waiting for the access email, even though developer Battlestate Games had announced that veterans would be the first to be unlocked.
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Escape from Tarkov soon also for in between: Gameplay from the new Arena game mode
Unfair progression system
A little waiting time shouldn’t be a problem, but it is In EFT: Arena, all players who get in early have a massive lead. Anyone who can start early or play intensively can also quickly unlock higher-quality equipment and weapons and thus have an unfair advantage over new players.
The matchmaking is based on the rank of the players, possible equipment is not taken into account and is only purchased after entering the server. Newbies are limited to weak loadouts without armor and may have to compete against overpowering enemies
Some players even go so far as to consider Arena already dead because of the progression system:
The mode is already dead… why play it? To be crushed by less skilled players but with top gear?
How could this be fixed?
Some players are suggesting overhauling the progression system and introducing a Counter-Strike-like economic system. This would mean that players could earn money and use it to purchase equipment depending on their performance in each round.
Such a change could help make the game fairer and more balanced, but it would eliminate the so-called meta-progression – i.e. unlocking stronger loadouts through playing.
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