While it is a complete shock that we are getting Escape from Tarkov’s launch before GTA 6, it is even more surprising that the game is also heading to Steam on release.
Battlestate Games has put the page on Steam, and the listed minimum and recommended system requirements are baffling.
Escape from Tarkov’s Steam System Requirement Details
With Escape from Tarkov set to release on November 15, 2025, Battlestate Games is making a lot of preparations for launch, including a big release on Steam. However, there’s also a shocking revelation when you scroll further down to Escape from Tarkov’s system requirements , the minimum and recommended specifications are so far apart.
The specifications are so far apart that it actually seems suspicious. The GTX 1660 is a mid-range GPU released in 2019, but even if it was released in 2019, it was still weaker than the previous 20-series because it wasn’t meant to be a cheap to mid-range GPU. In short, that’s around three generations of a power gap between the minimum and recommended system requirements.
You can also look at the processor and memory, and the difference or gap is mostly the same. Are the requirements really trustworthy?
From experience, Escape from Tarkov has some optimization issues, but they are mostly due to memory. You’d want at least 32 GB of RAM to play cleanly, especially if you want to spawn quicker in the game. The GTX 1660 could work, but it depends on the map.
There are maps like Customs or Interchange that are definitely playable with the GTX 1660, but when you start playing Streets of Tarkov, everything collapses. Even a GTX 3070 Ti is having a hard time running Streets of Tarkov. There have been discussions about splitting the map into two, making it more playable for some, but no decisions have been made yet.
So while you can play with minimum requirements if you simply avoid certain maps, I wouldn’t recommend it. It has an RPG style of progression, and you must play some maps to progress.
Can Escape from Tarkov Owners Play on Steam for Free?
Apart from the system requirements, players also talked about Escape from Tarkov being free or linked for players who purchased the game on the launcher. I mean, the Edge of Darkness edition costs $150 and the Unheard edition costs $250, so supporters are rightfully asking if they have to buy the game again to play on Steam.
Currently, Battlestate Games has confirmed that players will have to buy the game again if they want to play it on Steam. They can link their account after buying Tarkov on Steam. If someone has an Unheard edition, they still have access to that edition when buying a normal copy of Escape from Tarkov on Steam.
That’s a big price to pay, so players will definitely still look to open the Battlestate Games launcher to play Escape from Tarkov, and the Steam version is just there to attract new players to the game.
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