Did Tarkov Create the Extraction Genre by Accident?
(Intro)
Is Escape From Tarkov the first extraction shooter, and if so, did that technically happen by accident? With the rise of the extraction genre, more developers wanting to try their hand at making something unique and interesting, it’s always good when you are in this position to look at the success and see what makes them so revered by those who experienced it. And in this case of this genre, it’s no surprise that EFT took the world by storm and fulfilled a desire for many players out there; a rugged, tough as nails game that doesn’t explain anything to you for better or worse, but has easily one of the most addictive thirty-second loops of any multiplayer game currently out there. Once a new player starts to understand the game and figures out some of the beginner mechanics, the itch to play kicks in and that’s how Tarkov pulls you over to the other side. And with the success of EFT over the years, and it finally finding its stride, when you look back at the history of popular multiplayer games, this genre is absent for the most part. Because before the popularity of extraction games became a thing, the more previous trend for a while was battle royale games. Last man standing, random loot on a map that can be played a thousand and one ways (if designed well), and a gameplay loop that has no barrier of entry with no real loss when you lose. EFT is for the most part, the opposite of that; nothing but stakes every time you load in, no guarantee you’ll win or even survive and everyone trying to fight each other. It’s kind of surprising that that it’s become as popular as it currently is. This topic is being talked about a lot right now; not just the first game but what makes them so effective. So, I wanted to chime in and give my own perspective on the matter. Upon looking back at gaming trends, a question arose; was EFT the very first proper extraction shooter? Or was there something else before it?
