The Harsh Reality of Tarkov’s Infinite Potential

(Intro)

We do a lot of talking about Tarkov and the way the game currently is. However, I wanted to take some time, go backwards and go more hypothetical with the game. Now that we are past 1.0, and we are reviewing and critiquing the game as a technically finished product, there are a lot of things that sadly didn’t make the cut. I mean there is still a chance for many different features to be added down the line depending on how long BSG continues support for this game, but in the meantime, we have everything they wanted in the final release laid out in front of us. So, I wanted to go over all the what ifs that surround EFT; the possibilities and where it could’ve gone, and just the insanely infinite potential that the game had. But sadly, the harsh reality is that the game was only a fraction of what it could’ve been and what many of us wanted over the years. Whether it was barreling towards the full release, the wheel spin over the years of trying to figure out the games identity or just missing the mark because they didn’t have the technical skill set to do so, this game could’ve been a game people enjoyed forever. And while there is a version that people can experience that removes many of the problem points the real version has, wouldn’t it have been nice if the normal game could’ve just existed without the need of a modified version as well? This game’s potential was infinite, but BSGs’ ability to deliver on that potential, sadly, wasn’t.

(What this game could’ve been)

At its core, Tarkov has and always will be an extraction shooter. It’s the game that truly defined the genre and the reason games like Arc Raiders exist in the first place. It may not be as difficult or hardcore as EFT, but tons of players are now being onboarded into this genre by a game that is easy to get into, has complexity and depth for those unfamiliar with the genre and replay value that still gets people stressed out. EFT is its own beast in comparison. I’m not trying to downplay or belittle Arc, but let’s be real for a second; losing in Tarkov hurts infinitely more than Arc or any other extraction game out there. You lose your stuff in all the games because that’s kind of the hook of this genre, but something about Tarkov and those losses hurt so much. Maybe it’s the type of gear you bring in, losing progression on a tough as hell quest, or just how quickly it can all happen sometimes, Tarkov has a way of latching itself onto you and to never let go. And once people fall in, their minds and imaginations begin to run wild, like we all did at one point or another. Until you put hundreds if not thousands of hours into to the game and become almost jaded with the experience, there’s an almost whimsical creativity your brain tends to go through; coming up with all these different mechanics and scenarios where they could be applied and how awesome it would be for a game like Tarkov to include them. Imagine if the game was open world? Traveling from location to location in real time with no loading, as you fight your way across multiple maps finding supplies to keep you going? Imagine if there were ways to revive teammates that would enter a downed state if they hit zero heath points? Imagine in-world traders that you had to go visit in whatever location they were relative to their backgrounds? Imagine that if we had a multi-tool on us while in raid we could dismantle and put together weapons on the fly with parts we either found in the world, or took off other players and AI? So many ways this game could’ve exceeded expectations and blown people away with what this genre is capable of. If there truly was this level of innovation from something as ambitious as Tarkov, I truly believe this game would have reached a level of fame and prestige that supersedes what it has already accomplished.

Being a little more realistic, even if BSG weren’t able to add all these mechanics into the game before launch, imagine if their game just ran better? The amount of bloat and extra menus and clicks was reduced to a point it didn’t feel tedious to navigate menus outside of a raid; it’s something I think many of us would’ve been more than happy with because the one thing that really stings in Tarkov is trying to build a kit quickly after you get taken out. Efficiency has been something Tarkov never had, and just seeing the game run and behave better across the board would’ve gone a long way in building up trust that their future plans, content additions and further optimizations. But that is not what has happened to Tarkov, pretty much ever. The games development has been nothing but tumultuous for its entire life, and the sad reality is that whether it’s because of technical limitations and complications, or the skill growth of BSG and just not having the experience to add these kinds of features when they needed them most, has led to a game that will still good, is nowhere near what it could’ve been had it been handled by a company with more technical prowess and skill, but with BSG behind them making all the decisions regarding the games vision.

(The reality of the circumstances)

The sad reality is that this game could never meet the expectations of what the players wanted or envisioned. The hype that surrounded this game boiled over once Reserve came out, and it was doomed to never be what we truly wanted. Because for years, we all came up with wild possibilities that Tarkov could be something it’s not. BattleState Games just sadly never had the experience necessary to make a game like that. If that were as knowledgeable as they are now when they first started making Tarkov, then that’s a different conversation entirely. I wish that was the case because then there is so much more to be said about all these different mechanics not being introduced into the game. I wish there was an open world of some sort so we can go on adventures across multiple maps and either fight my way through everyone or meet people who need to go the same places I do and tag along for the ride. I wish the game’s performance was in a place where most modern hardware could run it while maintaining the game’s beauty. I wish the menus and UI were more streamlined and boiled down to where it only took a couple of minutes and half as many clicks to get a kit built after dying. It’s just not on the table anymore, and that to me is the biggest sin of Tarkov; the unfortunate inability to meet the expectations we all conjured up for this game. And I don’t blame BSG for that. We are the ones that let our imagination run wild and get sometimes maybe a little too unrealistic with what was to come. But I would do it the same way over again just because it was fun to dream and to imagine all the what ifs and the possibilities that simply could’ve been. I mean even to this day, I still reflect on the game sometimes when it’s quiet in-raid, and I’m walking around, and I just say to myself imagine how cool this all could’ve been if there was more done to it. If a little more thought, went into it. If BSG had a little more knowledge and more tools under their belt earlier on. I don’t blame anyone for dreaming. Sure, BSG could’ve done more to make the game a better package, but I don’t make games. I know it can be an insurmountable challenge, especially with something as complex as Tarkov. But what we have in front of us is their vision for a realistic 1.0 release. Regardless of whether we like it or not, I respect the fact that they finally managed to release something. Even if I wished there was more, even if I disagree with many things associated with the game, I still see a future where this can be a forever game you know, as long as the servers are still going strong.

(This game can still go on forever)

Tarkov has affected so many people. Whether they love the game, hate it, didn’t like it at first but then got addicted, or loved the game for years and then walked away. EFT has had a substantial impact on so many of us, that no matter what time of the year or day it might be, I see Tarkov as a game that can last a lifetime. Maybe not this version, but some form of EFT will be around years after BSG has stopped supporting it, post launch, and people will still be playing and talking about this game. It has cemented itself in this industry and in this genre as the cornerstone to many other extraction games getting made and released in the future. And while it isn’t perfect, other people have the blueprints laid out in front of them to make some better; and improve in the places Tarkov could’ve never did for one reason or the other. But in the future, when everything is all said and done, I see myself years down the road still playing this game in some capacity. I want to in the future treat it like how I treat Stalker Anomaly and all those mod packs; experiences I come back to every now and again and just relieve one of the better gaming experiences I’ve ever had, despite everything.

(Outro)

The player’s expectations of Tarkov could sadly never be met . We all had such high hopes for mechanics and general directions of the game, that it really took until the last year before launch to realize that was just simply never going to happen. But, taking the game for what it’s worth and reflecting on what we have in front of us, the game is still great. I wish there was more here; I wish it was better, and I wish the game didn’t have as much of a tumultuous development than it did. Either way, Tarkov at one point felt like it had unlimited potential. But that dream came crashing down when most people realized that all those cool and fancy ideas, we imagined for the game were never going to happen. 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 idea of Tarkov’s potential, whether or not you think it could’ve ever been something more or different and be sure to subscribe for more videos about the unfortunate reality something in development that you are interested in either not living up to your expectations or simply never coming out at all. I hope to see you in future ones.