Tarkov's Grand Steam Entrance: A Curious Case of the Mandatory Double-Dip (and the Missing Steam Deck Support)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Battlestate Games is bringing *Escape From Tarkov* to Steam, but long-time players will have to repurchase the game to access it there, a peculiar decision that has gamers scratching their heads despite account linking and carried-over progress, and notably, no Steam Deck support.
Right, so another year, another round of ‘what in the name of all that is holy are Battlestate Games doing?’ This time, it’s not about some obscure ammo nerf or a new wipe cycle that feels like it’s been specifically designed to frustrate. No, mate, this particular digital wizardry involves the much-anticipated (and arguably long overdue) arrival of *Escape From Tarkov* on Steam. And bloody hell, it’s got a snag that feels less like a minor inconvenience and more like a poorly cast teleportation spell that leaves you stuck in a wall.
Here’s the gist, for those of you who haven’t already seen the internet collectively raise an eyebrow. *Escape From Tarkov*, a game that’s been in early access for what feels like a geological epoch, is finally making its way to Valve’s digital storefront. On the surface, perfectly sensible. More visibility, potentially new players, all that jazz. But then you hit the FAQ page for this glorious Steam debut, and that’s where things get… interesting.
According to Battlestate Games, if you’re one of the many, many dedicated souls who’s already bought *Escape From Tarkov* directly from their website, poured hundreds (or thousands, let’s be real) of hours into it, and now fancy launching it via Steam for whatever reason – perhaps you just like your games all in one place, like a neatly organised digital hoard – well, you’re gonna have to buy it again. Yeah, you heard me. You **must purchase any edition of the game on Steam** to play it through Steam. Sounds a bit like a magic spell gone wrong, doesn't it? You've already got the enchanted sword, but to use it in the *new* dungeon, you gotta buy a whole new enchanted sword from the dungeon's shopkeeper, even if it's identical.
Naturally curious, I started wondering 'what happens if...' we actually tried to justify this? What's the grand design here, mate? What brilliant, arcane benefit are we overlooking? My first thought, like many I reckon, immediately leaped to the Steam Deck. Tarkov on the go? The ultimate portable anxiety simulator? That would almost, *almost*, make the double-dip palatable for some. But then the FAQ drops another delightful bombshell: "Battlestate Games [have] no plans to support a version of the game for Steam Deck." Well, that's one reason straight out the window, isn't it? Like trying to use a fire spell underwater – utterly useless.
So, if not Steam Deck support, then what? Steam achievements, apparently. Yep, those little digital badges of honour. Now, I love a good achievement as much as the next gamer, but are we truly expected to shell out another significant chunk of change – potentially upwards of £60 or more, depending on which edition you own – just for the privilege of unlocking a few virtual trophies? I'm not convinced many players are *that* desperate to pad out their Steam profile, particularly not at that price.
The FAQ does try to soften the blow, I suppose. If you link your existing Battlestate Games account to your new Steam purchase, all your character progress will carry over. You’ll still be playing on the same servers as everyone else, regardless of where they bought their copy. And if you buy a lower edition on Steam but own a higher one on your Battlestate account, the game will automatically default to the higher edition when launched via Steam. So, effectively, you're paying for a different shortcut to the same destination, but at least the destination remembers who you are and what gear you've already accumulated. Small mercies, I suppose.
But let's be real for a moment. This feels utterly bizarre when you consider standard industry practice. When a game transitions from an exclusive launcher or an early access period on a proprietary storefront to Steam, the general expectation – and often, the reality – is that existing owners are granted a Steam key. We’ve seen it time and again with games big and small. It's not exactly wizardry to offer Steam keys to existing owners, is it? It's a gesture of goodwill, a 'thank you' to the early adopters who supported the game through thick and thin. So, why isn't Battlestate Games doing it? Is it a technical hurdle? Is their backend so uniquely complex that generating a few million keys would break the fabric of their digital reality? Or is it simply a business decision, a way to double-dip into the wallets of their most dedicated players, those who just *have* to have it on Steam?
For a game that's been in early access for nearly a decade, building a famously dedicated (and famously long-suffering) community, this move feels like a slap in the face. These are the players who've seen Tarkov through its roughest patches, who've invested countless hours and, yes, their hard-earned cash, into the game. To then ask them to repurchase the game just to launch it from a different icon on their desktop? That's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off. It speaks volumes about the value a developer places on their existing community when such decisions are made.
On the one hand, a Steam launch will undeniably bring fresh eyes to *Escape From Tarkov*. It’s a fantastic, albeit brutally difficult, game that deserves a wider audience. The full version is set to launch in a couple of months, on November 15th, making this Steam arrival feel like a final, frantic sprint to the finish line for its long early access journey. But is alienating a significant portion of your existing player base the best way to cultivate that new growth? It’s a curious move, mate, one that feels less like a grand wizard's calculated strategic gambit and more like a potion brewed with conflicting ingredients, leaving a slightly sour taste.
What do you reckon? Is this just the cost of doing business in a fractured digital landscape, or is it another example of a developer pushing their luck with a loyal fanbase? I'm genuinely curious to see how this plays out.
Tags: Escape From Tarkov, Gaming Industry, Steam Release, Player Experience, Early Access
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun