Escape From Tarkov Players Slam Steam Launch as “Cosmic Punishment”
▼ Summary
– Escape from Tarkov received a “Mostly Negative” rating on Steam due to severe server and login issues preventing players from accessing the game.
– Developer Battlestate acknowledged connection and authorization problems and stated its technical team is working to stabilize servers.
– Only 34% of over 7200 reviews since launch were positive, with players reporting inability to create accounts and persistent technical problems.
– Players described the experience as punishing, citing issues like broken hit registration, silent movement, and server errors ruining gameplay.
– Battlestate previously faced backlash for locking a PvE mode behind a €300 edition and apologized for the community’s negative feelings.
The recent launch of Escape from Tarkov on Steam has been met with widespread frustration, as players report persistent server instability and performance problems that prevent them from even logging into the game. Following its debut, the game quickly accumulated a “Mostly Negative” rating, with thousands of users detailing their inability to access accounts or start playing due to ongoing connection failures.
Developer Battlestate Games acknowledged the situation, confirming that many players are encountering difficulties when attempting to connect to servers or authorize through the game launcher. In an official statement, the studio apologized for the inconvenience and assured the community that its technical team is actively working to stabilize both the servers and authorization services. Despite these assurances, the flood of negative reviews continues, with only around 34 percent of the more than 7,200 post-launch reviews expressing a positive experience.
One particularly vivid review described the game as “a cosmic punishment sent by indifferent gods to remind humanity of its insignificance.” The reviewer went on to liken the process of starting the game to “willingly inserting your face into a malfunctioning wood chipper,” citing erratic hit registration, broken audio that makes characters move silently, and non-player characters clipping through doors. They concluded that playing Escape from Tarkov feels less like entertainment and more like an exercise in endurance, where “every raid is a dissertation in disappointment.”
Other players echoed these sentiments with sarcastic praise. One positive review joked, “Escape From Maintenance: Mental Warfare 10/10, game so difficult I can’t even make an account without losing my mind.” Another simply requested, “They should implement a feature where you can actually play the game.”
While Battlestate has promised fixes, no new updates have been shared on social media or Steam at this time. This rocky launch is not the first time the developer has faced community backlash. Last year, the studio reversed a controversial decision to lock an exclusive PvE mode behind its expensive Unheard Edition, which cost around €300, after receiving intense criticism from players. At that time, Battlestate also issued an apology, expressing regret that fans felt let down by the initial plan.
(Source: Euro Gamer)
