Escape from Tarkov coming to Steam, existing Battlestate launcher owners have to rebuy game

The OG extraction shooter is finally coming to Steam in November, but it'll come at a price--even for users who bought the game on the Battlestate launcher.

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After five long years of beta testing, Escape from Tarkov's version 1.0 will officially launch on November 15, 2025. Once the shooter is formally released, Battlestate Games is bringing it to the biggest storefront on PC and breaking the game's exclusivity from its own proprietary launcher.

The developers outlined some key info in a recent FAQ, confirming that anyone who already purchased the game on the Battlestate Games launcher will also have to buy it again on Steam. Your content entitlements are account-bound, however, and will cross-over to Steam; if you bought the Unheard Edition on the Battlestate launcher, you can play that edition on Steam.

The FAQ also confirms that everyone will play on the same servers--Steam and Battlestate players will share the same play areas.

They also say there's no plans to launch a Steam Deck version of Escape From Tarkov, so don't expect to see the game verified for the handheld.

Check below for more info from the developers:

Do I need a Battlestate Games account if I'm buying the game on Steam for the first time?

Answer: Yes. To play Escape from Tarkov through Steam, you will need to link a Battlestate Games account to your Steam account. All progress will be stored on the Battlestate Games profile which is linked to Steam.

Do I need to buy Escape from Tarkov on Steam if I already own it through the Battlestate Games launcher or website?

Answer: Yes. To play Escape from Tarkov through Steam, you must purchase any edition of the game on Steam. You can then link your existing Battlestate Games account with an active copy of the game to your Steam profile. If the editions differ, it will automatically use the higher edition of the two when launching the game through Steam.

For example: If you bought the Standard Edition on Steam but your Battlestate Games account already has The Unheard Edition, launching the game through Steam will grant you access to The Unheard Edition profile.

Will my profile/character progress be saved after linking with my Steam profile?

Answer: Yes, all your progress is saved on your Battlestate Games profile, and Steam only provides access to that profile after it is linked.