Nikita and Damirka, decked out like cultists, sipping what looks like a cocktail of multivitamins and booze. This is the quirky heart of the Tarkov community. Besides this fun snapshot, the latest developer podcast shared some exciting news. It gave us a sneak peek of new features, events, and weapons that are coming our way.
If you’re the type who doesn’t like reading too much, just click on this link to see the official roadmap. But if you want the highlights without doing the digging, stick around. Here’s what you need to know about the most important announcements:
- Wipes: August & December
- Wipe highlights: Streets pt. 2 & loadout presets
- 5 promo codes for gear worth 18 Millions (see here)
- Rating system: winners in each category get two extra stash rows next wipe
- Unity update postponed to (late) autumn
- Arena definitely 2023, most likely autumn
When Wipe?
The query that hounds the dreams of every Tarkov enthusiast was given voice by Nikita himself: August. He didn’t give an exact date, though. It looks like they have some tech problems to sort out before the wipe. You can see all the features they’re planning for this wipe in the roadmap below (or click here).
The surprise for the next wipe is the launch of the second “Streets of Tarkov” map. Many thought it would come in December, so that’s great news, provided your PC can handle it. Nikita confessed you’ll need a lot of RAM for his favorite map.
Besides the new map, the upcoming wipe introduces a revamped trader UI. No more endless back-and-forth when selling items or accepting tasks. You can switch traders with a new panel, and healing becomes more efficient with hotkeys for body parts.
Also, the summer wipe will finally bring the much-anticipated loadout preset system. Save different gear setups (armor, weapons, grenades, healing) and recreate them with one click. No more repeating the same tedious process again and again.
There are more new features to look forward to in the next wipe. You’ll find helmet flashlights, a new boss on the Streets named “Kaban”, and a bunch of classic World War I and II weapons. However, the Unity 2021 update won’t be part of the wipe. They’ve pushed it back to autumn because of some tech problems.
Rating System Returns
Do you remember the old rating system that was dropped a few years back? It’s making a comeback. As of now, we have several categories like total experience, average raid profit, K-D ratio, and more. The top players in each category might earn permanent bonuses for future wipes, such as two extra stash rows. In my opinion, this system is mainly to keep veterans and streamers interested during the middle and end of the wipe periods.
Arena & Tournaments
Nikita’s next big thing, Tarkov Arena, got a lot of airtime on TarkovTV. Apparently, Battlestate Games is teaming up with several eSports groups behind the scenes to ensure a first-class competitive experience from day one. Arena is “almost done” (whatever that means), and you’ll get to try it live at this year’s Gamescom (23rd-27th August, Cologne, Germany). They’re planning to officially release it this year, likely in late autumn.
When it comes to competition, Arena developers are currently working on “quality of life” features, including things like tournament calendars. There will also be a kill cam in Arena. But Nikita made it clear: there won’t be a kill cam for core Tarkov.
Events Anyone?
So, what’s next before the wipe? Nikita promised that the new Ryzhy chronicles are coming in a few days, possibly this weekend. And, as usual, it’ll come with an event. There’s also a big event planned near the end of the wipe, which includes a detailed quest line. The reward hinted at something permanent (a unlock for the next wipe maybe?), so you don’t want to miss it!
Winter is Coming
What’s coming in the big winter wipe? They teased a bunch of features today like firing from the left shoulder, a recoil rework (which might come sooner), elite attachments with owner properties like a kill tracker, armor customization with plates, special Lightkeeper services, and more. But that’s a topic for another article, so check back later 😉
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-your kraynd