Battlestate Games has announced the release date for the next Escape From Tarkov wipe and patch, and as expected it will arrive before the end of this week.
In an announcement on the Escape From Tarkov social media accounts, it was announced that the next Tarkov wipe will arrive tomorrow, December 26. The wipe will launch alongside patch 0.16.0.0, which will also be installed on the same day.
The installation of Escape From Tarkov patch 0.16.0.0 will begin at 7:00 AM GMT / 2:00 AM EST on December 26, and is expected to take around eight hours. This means that the patch, and new wipe, could be playable as early as 3:00 PM GMT / 10AM EST on December 26. However, during the installation process neither Escape From Tarkov, or Escape From Tarkov Arena will be playable, so you will have to find something else to fill your time.
Speculation has been rife over the past few days that the wipe may not arrive on a Thursday as is usually the case. With the end of wipe events taking a slightly different direction this year, some speculated that the wipe could arrive over the weekend, but the launch of the fire sale event earlier today all but confirmed that the wipe will arrive tomorrow. That means you only have a few hours to try out the best builds you can think of for cheap before everything wipes tomorrow.
When the wipe does arrive tomorrow, which based on previous years could be later than 3:00 PM GMT due to delays, there will be a lot of new toys added to Tarkov. The gun nerds among you will likely be racing to find some of the new weapons, which include the awesome looking Sako TRG M10 bolt action sniper rifle, which takes .388 Lapua ammo and will likely one shot other PMCs if you have good aim.
Then there’s the expected rework to the Customs map, which hasn’t been shown off too much so far but is expected to be more of a visual overhaul rather than a new design. However, we do know that some areas will change, including the big warehouse attached to the mechanic’s shop, which should finally be opened up and not just a massive inaccessible block on the map.
Other changes coming in Escape From Tarkov patch 0.16.0.0 include the upgrade to the Unity 2022 engine, a brand-new type of extraction and a new recoil system. However, it will not be a surprise full release for Tarkov, with that now expected to come in 2025.
