Escape From Tarkov Console: Is Tarkov Coming To Xbox And PlayStation?

Anxious players looking on from afar will have been waiting for an Escape From Tarkov console release for a while, wondering if the game will ever release on Xbox or PlayStation platforms. As Escape From Tarkov has been in beta for a couple of years now people have wondered if the game will ever move beyond PC, questioning whether it would even work with a controller in the first place. So, to make sure to read the rest of this guide if you want to find out everything we currently know about an Escape From Tarkov console release.

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Escape From Tarkov Console: Is It Happening?

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Thankfully for players without access to a PC, an Escape From Tarkov console release is being planned - at least semi-officially. While there has not been a concrete announcement of Battlestate Games' plans to bring the hardcore shooter to Xbox and PlayStation, game director Nikita Buyanov did state in an interview in 2020 that a console release of Tarkov is in the plans, and that they are actively talking to several publishers about a potential console release.

This is still the only word surrounding an Escape From Tarkov console release, as nothing else has ever been said or announced either officially or otherwise. As the game is still currently in beta with no general release date known, it is unclear when this proposed console version will come to light.

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Escape From Tarkov Console: Is There A Release Date?

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There is no official Escape From Tarkov console release date known, despite the indication that such a version is in the works. It will most likely not arrive until the game reaches 1.0, as the game is not even currently on Steam and is only available through the official website. 

Optimisation has always been a challenge for Battlestate Games in regard to Escape From Tarkov, being one of the main reasons why it took over three years for the Streets of Tarkov map to actually be released. Thus, performance could be a likely blocker at the moment for any form of console release, as they try and work out the best ways to have the game running on more rigid systems.

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Escape From Tarkov Console: Would It Work?

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A lot of players both current and those looking from afar question whether Escape From Tarkov could actually work on console, as it is an extremely complex game that might not transfer well to a controller.

Some players argue that it would struggle to run on the current generation of consoles, and while the stability of the game might be an issue, it is silly to think that something like the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 could not run the game.

What is the main difficulty in theory is the complexity of the controls in the game, and how far you would have to limit the mechanics to make it work on a controller. Games like Rainbow Six: Siege already limit controller players by removing key inputs like leaning without aiming due to a lack of buttons, and you can only imagine this being far worse with Tarkov.

However, this could all be resolved in the potential console release, so we'll just have to wait and see what Battlestate Games comes up with.

So, that rounds off all you need to know about the potential Escape From Tarkov console release, including all the release date information we know so far, and whether Tarkov could actually work on console. If you're on PC and wondering how to download Escape From Tarkov however, make sure to follow our guide right here.