Escape from Tarkov is an extraction shooter from Battlestate Games (BSG) that hit its full 1.0 release on 15 November 2025. Every raid is a gamble: make it out and you keep your loot, die and you lose everything you were carrying. This guide covers how PMC and Scav runs work, what you lose on death, why the game never shows your position on a map, when the PvE Zone makes sense and where new players can get help. It applies to both the Steam and the BSG website versions, as of 20 October 2026.
What Escape from Tarkov is and where to play it
On Steam, BSG describes the game as an extraction FPS: you prepare for a raid, fight both players and Scavs, and only a successful extraction decides whether you keep what you found. It runs on Windows PC only. You can buy it on the official site escapefromtarkov.com, where you play through the BSG launcher, or on Steam. The two stores differ in price and in the editions they sell, which we break down in our guide to price and editions.
First choices: faction and tutorial
At the start you pick a faction for your PMC character: USEC or BEAR. Then comes the tutorial. Version 1.0 finally has a proper introduction, but both PC Gamer and GamesRadar+ describe it as covering the basics only. It gets you through the controls and first steps, and the rest you learn in raids.
PMC and Scav in a nutshell
Your main character is the PMC. It goes into a raid with gear you pick from your stash, and everything it wears is at risk. The other option is a Scav run. You play as a Scav with random gear and risk nothing if you die. If your Scav makes it out, the loot goes to your main character. Scav runs have a cooldown, so you can’t chain them back to back.
Playing as a Scav has one more perk: AI Scavs don’t treat you as a threat until you attack. That makes a Scav run a good way to learn a map without worrying about your kit. The differences and how leaving a map works are covered in our PMC vs Scav guide.
What you lose on death and what you keep
Dying in a raid means losing whatever you have on you. A successful extraction means you keep the loot. The exception is your secure container: whatever is inside stays with you even after death. Its size depends on your edition, from Alpha through Beta to Gamma.
That leads to the most important rule for your first raids: don’t bring anything you can’t afford to lose. Put small valuables in the container and hold off on expensive gear until you know the map and its exits.
Maps without your position, and extracts
The game has no standard map showing where you stand, and it doesn’t mark extraction points either. GamesRadar+, IGN and PCGamesN all suggest keeping a map open on a second monitor or your phone.
Which exits are active for you and how to check them in-game is explained in the PMC vs Scav guide above. Until you know a map, play carefully and plan your route to an exit before the raid starts.
Medical supplies and ammo
Damage in Tarkov isn’t a single health bar. Injured limbs, bleeding and fractures each need different items, such as bandages, splints or surgical kits. A stock of medical supplies is a must, and you should carry some on every raid.
Ammo works in a similar way. Rounds differ in penetration and other properties, so it isn’t just about how many you carry. Magazines are also loaded by hand. Check that you’re loaded before you head out.
Night raids and bosses
In night raids, light gives you away. A flashlight helps you see, but it also shows everyone else where you are. You will also run into bosses, tough AI enemies with escorts. Reviews call them one of the hardest challenges in the game, so it pays to avoid them early on.
PvP or PvE Zone?
The base game puts you up against real players. If you’d rather start slower, there’s the PvE Zone, a co-op mode with persistent progression. Other PMCs are AI-controlled and the only humans with you are the ones you bring. GamesRadar+ and IGN both recommend it as a calmer path, and IGN played most of its review there because of cheaters. The PvE Zone is a paid expansion and only comes bundled with The Unheard editions. Even PvE needs an internet connection. How to get it and how servers work is covered in our PvE Zone guide.
Traditional wipes ended with the 1.0 release. What gets reset now is explained in our guide to wipes and seasons.
Where new players can get help
In its official FAQ, BSG points new players to two resources. The first is its video guides on YouTube. The second is the Sherpa programme, in which experienced players help newcomers through their first raids.
Since 6 October 2026 there’s also the EXFIL Brothers programme. An experienced player (Operator, account older than 7 days and level 30) invites a newcomer (Candidate, account younger than 7 days) with a link from the BSG website. In raids together, both get +5% XP and earn rewards. It works in every EFT mode except Arena. If you have a friend who already plays Tarkov, it’s the easiest way to start as a duo.
If Tarkov feels too punishing, GamesRadar+ and PC Gamer both mention ARC Raiders in their 1.0 reviews as a more accessible game in the same genre.
Join our Discord to ask other players questions and find teammates for your first raids: GamersTogether Discord.
How players and critics rate Escape from Tarkov and whether it is worth it for you is covered in our Escape from Tarkov review (6/10).
FAQ
You lose everything you carry except what’s in your secure container, which stays with you after death. If you extract successfully, you keep all your loot.
A Scav run is safer for learning a map: you get random gear and risk nothing on death, and AI Scavs ignore you until you attack. Scavs have a cooldown, though, so you’ll alternate with your PMC.
No. Escape from Tarkov has no standard map with your position and doesn’t mark extracts. Reviewers recommend keeping a map on a second monitor or your phone.
Yes, in the paid PvE Zone. Other PMCs are AI-controlled and you play alone or with people you bring. There is no offline mode, though, so you always need an internet connection.
BSG recommends its YouTube video guides and the Sherpa programme, where experienced players help newcomers. Since 6 October 2026 there’s also EXFIL Brothers, with +5% XP for both the newcomer and the veteran.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are in our Escape from Tarkov section.