With the anticipated 1.0 release just around the corner, Battlestate Games, the devs behind the notoriously difficult extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov, is also preparing new proactive efforts against the irritating problem of persistent cheating within the game. According to the studio CEO and lead designer Nikita Buyanov in a recent interview with PCGamesN, the much-anticipated coming November 15 launch will be complemented by “a few tricks up our sleeve” in deterrent measures against the rapid proliferation of complete cheaters in the very environment concerning the game’s main reference.
This is nothing new to the old players, as this has been a game rife with cheat software and exploits since the past alpha nine years ago. Buyanov gave an all-rounder view regarding a pretty serious issue, stating that the fight against exploit developers is an endless, almost systemic fight. He gave an example, saying even almost perfect anti-cheat systems can, sooner or later, be evaded, and newly developed detection methods must be updated continuously in a never-ending game of maneuver against outside forces.
Apart from the technical strategy, Buyanov has laid bare a very frank and critical perspective on how the public has viewed Battlestate’s defense. He termed comments by fans about it as “depressing” and “upsetting,” arguing that, “It is really unfortunate and somewhat depressing to read all kinds of comments made over the years and navigate through waves of hatred-assuming like we are doing nothing” about this issue. He further noted that despite the studio’s demonstrative commitment to fight against cheats, it will remain “impossible to change players’ opinions” on the level of effort expended.
The specifics of these new “tricks” are under lock and key, but at the very least, Buyanov’s statement pretty much confirms the studio’s continued pledge towards maintaining that integrity in the game at a very critical 1.0 milestone. The commitment to minimizing exploits stretches across all platforms, even as the studio continues with development for the upcoming console version of Escape from Tarkov. Whatever the platform is, however, the developer’s core message remains the same: the fight for integrity in the unforgiving world of Tarkov is a sustained, indispensable action, though often these efforts go unnoticed and unenjoyed by the community that is sought to be protected.
