Battlestate Games boss Nikita Buyanov has recently teased a “hardcore” wipe for Escape from Tarkov, sparking the curiosity of the fanbase. Escape from Tarkov already had several wipes before, but what exactly this “hardcore wipe” could be is not entirely known yet, so fans are excited for July.
Escape from Tarkov is a popular first-person extraction shooter that was originally released in early access in 2017. Since then, the game has changed a lot due to player feedback and has also grown in popularity. Estimates from ActivePlayer.io indicate that over a million gamers have played Escape from Tarkov during the last 30 days.
8 Best Games To Play If You Love Escape From Tarkov
Thrill seekers who loved Escape from Tarkov's high-stakes gameplay are guaranteed to enjoy the shooter gameplay in these similar titles.
Now, Escape from Tarkov developer Nikita Buyanov has teased a “Hardcore Wipe” for the game. The reaction from the fanbase was a mixture of excitement and confusion, as none of the previous wipes were “hardcore” ones, and gamers are still not entirely sure what that could mean. In the Escape from Tarkov community, “hardcore” means playing the entire game without some important features, such as access to the Flea Market, which makes the experience incredibly harder. Soon after the tease, Battlestate Games posted an updated Escape From Tarkov roadmap, indicating that the wipe will take place in July, together with the next update.
Nikita Buyanov Teases Mysterious Escape From Tarkov 'Hardcore' Wipe
Battlestate Games’ new plans are pretty similar to the ones from the previous Escape from Tarkov roadmap, revealed back in April. The main changes are that the Hardcore Wipe has been added to the 0.16.8.0 update, which will also bring new Prestige levels and new PMC customization options. Following that, patch 0.16.9.0 is scheduled to be out in August and will come with a new in-game event. It’s also known that Escape from Tarkov intends to release its 1.0.0 version in 2025, meaning that this could be the final wipe before Version 1.0.0 resets progress for the last time.
These new plans come on the heels of Escape from Tarkov’s June update. The newest update changed the game’s season to summer, applied many optimization fixes, as well as fixed some audio problems, introduced new quality-of-life features, and much more.
Hopefully, the popular extraction shooter will really reach 1.0.0 this year, and this could even mean that the eagerly awaited Steam version of Escape from Tarkov could finally be released. Back in 2020, Battlestate Games promised a Steam version of the game’s 1.0.0 version, and the devs have been taking a long time to get there, but a Steam release could certainly impact the title’s popularity.
- Released
- November 15, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Battlestate Games
- Publisher(s)
- Battlestate Games
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
We have pioneered the genre of extraction shooters
Escape from Tarkov is the benchmark. This is where the mechanics of escaping from a conflict zone came into being. It isn't just PvP or PvE — it's a world where every decision impacts your survival.
Every raid is a unique scenario. You go in taking risks and come out with the spoils, or don’t come out at all.
We've rewritten the standards
Gunplay and sounds, realistic character manipulation, ballistics, advanced armor system, bleedings, fractures — this is not just another shooter game. It's a simulation of combat in extreme conditions.
1000+ models of equipment and weapons, brought as close to reality as possible. Comprehensive weapon customization: infinite combinations of sights, gadgets, and accessories to create unique builds. Character appearance customization, clothing for different seasons — all this affects the gameplay and your chances of survival.
Survival is a strategy
Everything has a price: armor, ammo, time. A mistake in a raid means losing everything. Trading, crafting, hideout, barters, skill leveling, completing tasks - these are not side objectives, they are the basis of progress.
The winner is not the one who shoots better, but the one who lives in the world of Tarkov, understands the intricacies and has a strategic advantage.
Each location means a different tactic, different pace, different risk
Factory plants, forests, city districts. No repetitiveness. You never know what awaits you in a new raid.
Night raids, bad weather, betrayals, airdrops, random extraction points, gunfights with Scavs, unique Bosses — every raid could become your last.
But after dying in a raid, you can’t give up. You learn from your mistakes and re-equip your character to try to grasp and escape from Tarkov once and for all.
