Is Tarkov Truly Pay-to-Win?

(Intro)

Is Tarkov pay to win? It’s a question that’s been asked for many years now, with a lot of heated conversations going back and forth on the matter. For those that think it is, they look to the different versions of the game being sold and how with all the extra stuff that is tacked on for simply paying more, it means you have a distinct advantage from those who pay for the base game. And there are those who look at this question a little deeper; beyond just the starting gear, seeing what else these more expensive versions offer to players and how much of an actual advantage does it give provide. And both sides make very strong arguments for the question being answered in either direction. Today, I wanted to take a crack at the question; look at the game, the different versions offered, and all the mechanics associated to try and come to some form of a resolution. At the end of the day, EFT is just a game. It is an online game, so for some, these kinds of conversations are important to figure out what version they might want to purchase if they are new and unsure where to start.

(The purchasable versions of EFT)

Currently on the official Tarkov website, there are four different versions of the game purchasable for different amounts of money. The first being the standard edition, costing around fifty dollars, you know, before tax. You get pretty much the game itself, some starting equipment, and that’s about it. There is very little fluff or flair for this version. It’s more of a simple introduction into the game and if you feel as though you would like more bang for your buck, you can always upgrade your version of the game to a higher one and only pay the difference between the two. The next version is the left behind edition. Which for a steeper eighty-two dollars, you get more starting gear, and a slightly larger stash for your loot. Not a huge difference over standard which is why this edition I’d have to guess is the least purchased. Next up after that is the prepare for escape edition. Costing a staggering one-hundred and ten dollars, this is where you start to see more benefits to your account than just better loot. For one, your secure container upgrades from the two-by-two alpha container to the larger three-by-two beta container. Meaning, you can not only hold more items on you that aren’t lost upon death but can store more valuables while in raid with no fear of losing them. In addition to an even larger stash size, you now have some initial starting reputation with all the traders. So now, it requires less quests you have to initially complete in order to reach loyalty level two with the vendors.

(Unheard Edition... everything about it)

And finally, the version that broke the community and the internet for about a solid week after its reveal... the unheard edition. Before there was another top-tier version called the edge of darkness edition for one-hundred and fifty dollars, but that no longer exists and has been replaced by the unheard version. For an absolutely monstrous two-hundred and fifty dollars, you get the largest possible stash size (which includes space that is optional to buy for anyone who wants extra storage), access to the PvE version of the game that has no wipes and can be played solo or with friends, unique in-game items such as a dog tag, melee weapon, in-game ID, and more. Normally, PMCs have four single slot pockets, but the unheard buyers get expanded PMC pockets, with six slots total, instead of just four. Increased mail retention, meaning your insurance will last longer and not get deleted at the same time as other versions. Even more starting reputation with the traders, meaning technically, to reach level two vendors, all you have to do is hit level twenty. You don’t even need to quest. You also get free access to Tarkov’s alternative game called Arena, which is a separate purchase like the PvE mode. And you get access to Tarkov’s test servers. Which I actually didn’t know was the case until I looked at the webpage for it. All of this, for two-hundred and fifty dollars. Now, I already talked about my feelings towards this version of the game. But to summarize, I had very strong negative feelings towards this version of the game simply existing. It’s way too overpriced, the benefits of it felt so out of touch with what Tarkov is supposed to be as a game and overall felt like it was a cash grab... NOT a scam. I won’t go into that rabbit hole, and this version is stupid, but you get what you pay for.

However, my feelings nowadays... I’m kind of indifferent about it. I still don’t like it, and yeah, more rep is convenient at the start, but you still need to quest. Otherwise, you will simply lag behind the other players even if you have an initial head start. Pockets the size of a scav vest is crazy, but technically we all can earn that in-game through a quest line, even if the quests themselves are kind of crap. All the unique cultist themed items are throwaways; they don’t impact your gameplay experience in any meaningful way. And for freaking two-hundred and fifty dollars, I would hope PvE and arena come with this version. But other than that, it’s simply a paid shortcut to some extra bonuses you don’t need to keep acquiring every wipe cycle. Except the stash base that one is kind of impactful, because everyone else needs to buy it. I’m also aware they get the cultist circle in the hideout built straight away, and yes again, a powerful tool to be utilized. At the start, it won’t serve much of a purpose until you have quests asking you to look for certain items.

I never bought this version, and I never will. I don’t need it. Edge of Darkness now feels more unique and rarer, so I want to somewhat preserve that. And besides, the boons of this version are more than enough for me. The gamma container is probably the only part of these two versions of the game that I personally would consider pay-to-win. But everything else, is kind of fluff. But that’s just me. And besides, in the context of Tarkov, when we say pay-to-win, what does that even mean?

(What does winning in EFT mean?)

We have talked in length before about what winning means in EFT, and the definition will vary from person to person. One might think it’s all about survival; getting out of your raids and staying as consistent as possible. Others might say hitting max traders is when you technically win in the game. Because once you do that, the game opens up with endless ways of engaging with it. You can continue the quest grind, focus primarily on PvP, or play the game with weapons you never use, builds you try and experiment with; the possibilities are endless. And of course, there are others who want to complete all the in-game content available. Which would mean acquiring the kappa container, as well as reaching Lightkeeper, and now meeting all the requirements to prestige. That to them, is their version of winning. And from me listing off all the potential ways of winning in EFT, it really does feel like the metaphorical goal post has been moving further and further away. But it depends on what you see as winning in the game. There is no one definition that can be applied to this question. However you feel a sense of accomplishment and success when playing EFT should be your personal barometer for winning. But hang on for a second: if that’s the case, if winning in the game is based on what you deem it as such, then the more expensive versions of EFT wouldn’t technically count as paying to win… correct? I don’t know; that question isn’t for me to answer for you watching. You need to look at what you get between the versions and decide if what they offer is powerful enough to be considered pay to win.

(It really doesn’t matter)

At the end of the day, which version you buy should come from a place of how much you want to support the game, or at the very least how much you anticipate yourself playing the game. If you are brand new to this genre, this type of experience (in which case hello, hope you’ve been having success in your raids), then buying the cheapest version should be you go to. In all honesty, everyone at this point should only be buying the standard edition of the game. You get everything you need to experience the game and can come to the conclusion of if this game is something you want to invest more into. If so, then there’s really only one option to upgrade to: prepare for escape. Again, you will only pay the difference in price between standard and prepare for escape, which is about another fifty-five dollars. You get a bigger container, more gear, better starting rep, and don’t have to worry about the shame of supporting unheard. I'm joking, well… kind of. You’re a grown ass adult, at least I hope you are. If you have the expendable income and want the biggest, baddest version of the game, then don’t let me or anyone else dissway you from buying it. But just remember, pretty much all the extra goodies you get in unheard, or any better version can mostly be earned in-game if you are dedicated enough to the cause. The gear being different doesn’t matter because you’re going to just eventually lose it while playing, which is part of the process. The rep while being nice until level twenty, doesn’t do much after that, because you still need to quest for all the traders to get beyond loyalty level two. People are surely going to disagree with this mindset, and that’s fine, but to answer the question is Tarkov pay to win, if you think it is, then sure, it is. If not, then EFT isn’t. Use your better judgement here.

(Outro)

There is no simple yes or no to this question. As much as people like to think there is. With how many layers this problem has, the conversation is much more nuanced, and you need to think about so many elements that aren’t just the game itself. How much each version itself costs, what you get for each one, the things that actually matter in the long run, how long you think you’ll be playing the game. So many different components. It’s not like a triple A release where the things you get in EFT have more direct impact other than just cosmetics. Which to some is enough for this game to be considered pay to win. But as I’ve played this game for longer and longer, it more feels like the appropriate phrase would be pay for connivance. Items, gear, reputation; it’s just a means to an end. And unheard provides a lot of things you no longer need to worry about. But that also takes away from the grind of the game, and the rewards you can tangibly earn and say you did. So, is Tarkov pay to win? Well, that’s really up to you. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your day to watch this video. Let me know down in the comment section below your thoughts on the pay to win argument, where you feel like you land and be sure to subscribe for more videos about the nuance within nuance when it comes to any conversation related to EFT. I hope to see you in future ones.