Escape from Tarkov is fast becoming one of the most popular games of 2020 in terms of Twitch viewership, though actually getting your hands on the game and playing it for yourself can prove to be a little bit difficult. Currently, the uniquely self-described “hardcore and realistic online first-person action RPG/Simulator with MMO features and a story-driven walkthrough” (catchy) is only on PC, though you may have trouble finding it on your favorite storefront. So, is Escape from Tarkov on Steam?
Can you get Escape from Tarkov on Steam?
If you want to play Escape from Tarkov right now, your only option is to preorder directly from Battlestate Games; this grants access to the ongoing closed beta via a proprietary Escape from Tarkov launcher. If you don’t want to download and use a separate game launcher, then you’re unfortunately out of luck for the time being.
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In a 2015 interview with Wccftech, however, Tarkov developer Battlestate Games confirmed that they “intend to release on Steam” when asked whether the title would eventually reach Valve’s leading software distribution platform. Provided the team’s plans haven’t changed in the intervening years, presumably once Escape from Tarkov “goes gold” and launches release version 1.0 it will make its way to Steam.
How long of a wait that might entail is currently unknown. There’s no specified or even estimated release date for the full version of Escape from Tarkov, which is still deep in active development. With the recent introduction of a whole host of new players, it’s likely that a greater number of bugs and issues are being experienced and reported now than ever before in the game’s lifespan, which may cause delays.
That should make for a higher quality final product, though; good things come to those who wait, as the old saying goes. If you really can’t keep a lid on your excitement for that long, then the only option is to abandon Steam and use the Escape from Tarkov launcher for now.
