The main extraction mode will exit beta on November 15, 2025, nearly a decade after development began.

Players who want to play Escape from Tarkov on Steam will need to purchase the game again, even if they already own it through the Battlestate Games launcher, though they can link their existing account to Steam for seamless access.

Existing players can still play on the Battlestate launcher without repurchasing, but buying on Steam is necessary for those who prefer that platform, with the game automatically using the higher edition if editions differ.

Escape from Tarkov is officially launching its 1.0 version on Steam on November 15, 2025, marking the end of its nine-year early access period and the move towards a full release.

This transition to version 1.0 will be accompanied by the game's first official release on Steam, after years of being available only through the Battlestate launcher.

The game features core gameplay involving entering maps, looting, PvP combat, and safe extraction, which remains unchanged in the transition.

The developer has yet to publicly respond to the backlash, which follows previous dissatisfaction related to recent game updates and wipes that increased difficulty and removed content.

Some players have noted that non-Steam versions can be added as non-Steam games to Steam libraries, but this does not grant Steam-specific features.

This controversy has sparked community backlash, with players expressing frustration over the need to buy the game again and concerns about negative impacts on reviews and reputation.

The minimum system requirements on Steam are high, with recommendations including 64GB of RAM and an Nvidia 4070 GPU.

There has been criticism from fans over Battlestate Games not providing free Steam keys to existing players, viewed by many as unfair and disrespectful.

Discussions have emerged about platform exclusivity and players' preferences for game libraries, as the move to Steam marks a significant platform shift.