Escape From Tarkov Makes Changes to Scavs

Summary

Escape from Tarkov made some changes to Scavs, like making them spawn later into raids and having the Fence rating have a bigger impact on the quality of their gear.
The newly introduced changes were informed by a recent player survey.
Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate said that more Scav gameplay changes are on the way.

Escape from Tarkov has made some gameplay changes to Scavs, while promising that even more are on the way. The newly introduced tweaks are a result of a recent Escape from Tarkov player survey.

When embarking on Escape from Tarkov raids, players can choose between Private Military Contractors and Scavengers. PMCs are fully customizable characters, whereas Scavs are semi-randomized members of an opposing faction. While they tend to be less prepared for raids, Scavs come with their own gear, so their runs come with no real penalty for dying.

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By Chris Harkin

Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has recently tweaked Scav gameplay based on the results of a player survey. One of the big changes saw the studio adjust Scav spawn times to no earlier than 17 minutes following the start of most raids. This tweak aligns with the result of Battlestate's survey, which saw the majority of players claim that they prefer Scavs to either spawn between 15 and 20 minutes following the start of a raid, or near the very end of one.

Escape from Tarkov's Scav Player Survey Results

Escape from Tarkov Scav Player Survey Results 2025

Three Escape from Tarkov maps are exempt from the adjusted Scav spawn times: Reserve, Factory, and the low-level Ground Zero. The developer did not elaborate on these exceptions, though it's possible that they are a result of the maps' unique dynamics, which hinge on an earlier Scav presence.

While Escape from Tarkov's Scavs will now spawn later in most raids, they will potentially be better-equipped from the start because Fence reputation will have a more significant impact on the quality of their gear. This particular change was also prompted by Battlestate's recent survey, where 36.30% of respondees expressed a desire to see the Fence standing have a bigger effect on the quality of Scav equipment, whereas another 31.81% said they were already satisfied with its influence. The change also ties into the fact that over 69% of responding players want to prioritize peaceful interactions with other Scavs and maintain a positive standing with the Fence, as it reinforces the idea that a non-aggressive playstyle should net meaningful benefits.

Battlestate said it will continue analyzing its telemetry data and soliciting player feedback as part of its continued efforts to keep balancing Escape from Tarkov. The developer also suggested that the information from its latest survey will be used to continue refining Scav gameplay in the near future, albeit without going into any more details on the matter. Although Escape from Tarkov will turn eight in July 2025, it's still officially in beta, and Bettlestate has yet to commit to a version 1.0 release date.