Which Escape From Tarkov Edition To Buy Comparison

Last Updated on July 7, 2022 by Samuel Franklin

Which Escape From Tarkov Edition To Buy Comparison – Tarkov Editions Overview

Wondering which Escape From Tarkov edition should I buy? Read my comparison of the different editions to learn which version to buy as a new player. With multiple editions available it can be a confusing beginning to your Tarkov experience as you try to understand the version differences and how they compare. Continue reading to learn about what editions are available, the benefits that each provide, an edition comparison and ultimately what EFT edition to buy.

Escape From Tarkov Edition Comparison

Given the Beta state of Escape From Tarkov currently BattleState Games has adopted a multitiered sales strategy not uncommon to other Early Access titles. Currently this means that there are 4 different game versions that can leave players wondering which Escape From Tarkov edition to buy and what the actual differences are. You can read about these editions on the official Escape From Tarkov Pre-order page with details of what this all means below.

The Escape From Tarkov different editions available are:

• Standard Edition
• Left Behind Edition
• Prepare for Escape Edition
• Edge of Darkness (EoD) Limited Edition

The differences between Escape From Tarkov editions and the impact to your Tarkov experience are:

• Access: All editions give access to the closed beta through a digital copy.
• Stash: The starting stash size varies between the game versions starting at 10×28 for Standard and increasing to 10×68 for EoD. While this is a clear early game advantage all players can eventually build the 10×68 stash size through gameplay.
• Bonus Equipment: The amount of equipment you start with is impacted by your game version with higher tier editions such as EoD giving the player significantly more barter and healing items. Like with stash size above this is predominately an early game advantage as these early game items will quickly slip through your fingers and are not significantly game breaking. This starting list of items also depends on your selected faction (BEAR or USEC) and generally changes with each Tarkov wipe as new items are introduced.
• Secure Container: The most significant Tarkov edition difference is your starting secure container which allows you to keep items after your death. Standard and Left Behind players begin with an Alpha (2×2), Prepare for Escape gets a Beta (2×3) and EoD start with a Gamma (3×3) allowing them to lose significantly less on death. Similar to stash size though players can eventually earn a  Epsilon (4×2) and a Kappa (3×4) through gameplay.
• Traders: Prepare for Escape and EoD receive “initially good standing with all in-game traders” which provides a 0.2 reputation boost to the various traders. This makes it easier to unlock higher loyalty level tier equipment without needing to perform quests which means it is again an early game advantage only.
• Game ID: Edge of Darkness players unlock a special golden crown next to their in game ID.
• Future DLC: Edge of Darkness version holders will have free access to all subsequent DLC that is released for Escape From Tarkov similar to a Season pass from other games.
• Offline Co-op: Currently only Edge of Darkness owners can play co-operatively in the offline practice mode. Other players are limited to playing offline solo.

Which Tarkov Edition To Buy

So given the above early game advantages which edition is the best option? Given that players can upgrade their Escape From Tarkov edition at any point (and simply pay the difference in price) I recommend that all newcomers to Tarkov purchase the Standard edition to determine if they enjoy EFT first and practice in offline mode then consider upgrades in the future as you can do an EoD upgrade later.

For those that are looking to upgrade from the Standard edition I would generally recommend the Prepare for Escape or Edge of Darkness as these offer the most significant advantages with an increase in secure container and trader reputation being invaluable to early gameplay and progression. Meanwhile I find the Left Behind version lacking for the price compared to other versions.

This isn’t to say upgrading above Standard is required either, I successfully achieved Kappa container from a Standard account in a Tarkov cycle but it does require game knowledge to achieve and I never felt at significant disadvantage.

Written by

Samuel Franklin

Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.

Sam (Seelyon) has over 1,000 hours, 1,000 raids, 2,000 kills and 50% survival rate in Escape From Tarkov (EFT) over multiple wipes and has achieved the elusive Kappa secure container in the process. He loves the Tarkov experience and seeks to share his insights and expertise with new players to the game.