Escape From Tarkov game director Nikita Buyanov has commented on the possibility of review bombing ahead of its upcoming Steam release. With Escape From Tarkov set to launch on Steam on November 15, Buyanov is prepared for whatever response players have to the game.
Having been in early access since 2017, Escape From Tarkov understands the highs and lows of player reception. The game has been frequently criticized for its ongoing cheater problem, and Escape From Tarkov's experimental updates in the search for perfect balance haven't always hit the mark. More recently, the news that existing owners would have to rebuy the game on Steam to play on that platform was met with negative reception from players. While not a guarantee, there is always a possibility that this frustration may carry over into the Steam reviews.
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Escape From Tarkov Director Says of Steam Reviews: 'Let Them Bomb Us'
Speaking to PCGamesN, game director Nikitia Buyanov says he isn't worried by the prospect of review bombing for Escape From Tarkov's Steam release. "We don't have a specific strategy for [review bombing]. We just want to release the game. For people. To put an exclamation point on the history of Tarkov and finally give players end-game content," Buyanov said. "You see, a huge number of people have been playing Tarkov for a very long time. And among this huge number, there is a small percentage of people who hate us. Will they go and do review bombing? Well, let them go ahead and do it. Steam has its own protocols for dealing with this. There are people who want to bomb us - let them bomb us, we'll see what comes of it."
Preparation is ongoing to ensure the 1.0 launch on Steam goes as smoothly as possible, which will hopefully reduce the number of negative reviews. Developer Battlestate Games recently revealed that it has prepared some tricks for Escape From Tarkov cheaters in 1.0, which would go a long way to solving one of the game's most prominent issues, should it work as intended.
Will they go and do review bombing? Well, let them go ahead and do it. Steam has its own protocols for dealing with this.
Battlestate Games is also working on a console version of Escape From Tarkov, although a release timeline for that project isn't clear at the moment. With the recent launch of ARC Raiders and Escape From Tarkov 1.0 just around the corner, it's a great time to be a fan of extraction shooters. Hopefully, this newfound competition pushes Escape From Tarkov to even greater heights in 2026.
- Released
- November 15, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Battlestate Games
- Publisher(s)
- Battlestate Games
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Extraction Shooter, Survival
