It seems that there’s a lot of drama in the Escape From Tarkov community, as Battlestate Games has recently banned streamers from the game and started unfollowing them on Twitter. Not all of them have been unfollowed, but it seems those criticizing the developer got the fat end of the stick. Streamers Axel and Viibiin (also banned from the game) have already reported that they have been unfollowed by BSG. Why is this happening exactly? No one knows, but I have a couple of thoughts to share.
Before you start evaluating the possibilities as to why this could be happening, you have to put yourself both in the shoes of Battlestate Games and the Escape From Tarkov Streamers. Yes, Streamers have been promoting the game quite a lot over the past, with some spending thousands of hours in the game. Conversely, Battlestate Games have already immortalized them for being a part of the community by giving them an in-game streamer item for their efforts.
Seeing the developer side
Over the past couple of years, Battlestate Games has been intensively working on Escape From Tarkov, adding new maps, mechanics, and whatnot to their game. As a developer who’s spent tons of hours in the making, they are probably being frustrated for being diminished by those who should generally be on their side throughout the development process.
Throughout this wipe cycle, players have criticized the game balance, PMC stamina, recoil, inertia, and whatnot. Just enough to throw BSG on a rampage in the hope of mitigating further damage by doing what they’re doing right now. The rules are meant to be the same for everyone, and no particular person should be able to bend them, although BSG has reverted many of those changes. Everything has pros and cons, and the cons have just surfaced.
All of the streamers who had the opportunity to be a part of and grow their channels thanks to the Tarkov universe, especially those who have been immortalized in the game, have to ask themselves:
- Is there any other developer that’s been this close with its community?
As for the streamers…
Every single one of them has been doing their job. Waking up and streaming Escape From Tarkov for hours, entertaining players who love this game daily. They have been the epitome of the game’s success and, inevitably, the ones who have propelled it to these heights.
If someone is eligible to criticize the developer’s work, it is usually them. But, instead of coming out publicly roasting the developer in front of thousands of viewers, they could contact them privately and tell them their fears, game issues, etc. There’s no need to go out loud when you have a streamer discord or a hub where you can share opinions on various matters. Simply said, you can agree or disagree in a close circle, such as the one you had so far.
Escape From Tarkov has always been shaped by its community, and there’s nothing to deny here. But with recent fishing for views, each content creator has gone a separate way, releasing content and roasting the developer without trying to converge upfront.
RMT BANS
Over the past, Nikita, the COO of Battlestate Games, has stated that sharing an extensive amount of kits or items with your friends might get you banned, as it causes complete disbalance and ruins the gameplay experience for others. While no one knows if this is the cause for the recent RMT bans, it could be related to it since Streamers have been running viewer kits while others have been selling items for real money.
Basically said, if a streamer invites someone to give him a viewer kit and that one is already flagged for participating in RMT, they could get themselves in trouble. That’s probably what happened with Viibiin and others who got banned, and it’s not only streamers that have been having this issue recently. Regular players are also encountering the same. This is definitely unjust, and Battlestate Games needs to find a workaround for this issue.
Conclusion
Either way, it seems like the developer wants to distance itself from the streamers and the community shaping the game over the past couple of years. Whether it’s critics, roasting, or else, we might see a blockage to the streamer items, or worst case scenario, the removal of the same. After all, Escape From Tarkov is a vast game, and Battlestate Games is trying to find a way to balance it, make it fun, and preserve it as engaging as it is. And for that, they would rely on support rather than negative feedback from those who find the game less entertaining for various reasons lately.
Previously, no one even knew Escape From Tarkov. Those who made a career out of it are lucky to be here. Devouring its current state is not welcomed by Battlestate Games, and I am honestly sad to see this misunderstanding between the developers and streamers. As for the RMT measures, don’t invite someone you don’t know to your party, as you might get in trouble quickly.
