Escape from Tarkov Fans Aren't Happy About the New Special Edition

gamerant.com:

The Escape from Tarkov community is in an uproar over the newly released Unheard Edition that costs $250 and includes upgrades that many are calling pay-to-win. Although Escape from Tarkov has been regarded as one of the best survival FPS games for years now, its popularity among fans has taken some hits in recent months.

Back in February, Escape from Tarkov implemented microtransactions for the first time by allowing players to run offline raids with friends for $10 and later providing players with more stash space with each extra storage line costing about $1.50. Although many were not happy to see microtransactions finally arrive in Escape from Tarkov, these additions weren't incredibly controversial due to them not offering egregious pay-to-win advantages. However, that seems to have just changed.

Developer Battlestate Games recently revealed its newest update for Escape from Tarkov that makes various in-game changes. Included in the patch notes were details of the Unheard Edition, which is now available. The $250 premium version increases the starting level of character skills after a wipe, enhances stash size and pocket space, provides an AI scav bonus if the user has six or more reputation levels with Fence, and gives exclusive access to a new PvE co-op mode. This mode is one of the main sources of frustration since the previously released Edge of Darkness premium edition claimed to give owners access to all future DLC. However, Edge of Darkness owners have to upgrade to the Unheard Edition to play the new mode.

Escape from Tarkov's lead community manager has responded to these complaints by saying that the new mode is not DLC but is instead classified as a unique feature of the new edition. It could be argued that most definitions of what is and isn't DLC would categorize the mode as such, but Battlestate is standing by its approach.

It's unclear whether Battlestate is considering adjusting some of the Unheard Edition's most controversial aspects, as many