Escape From Tarkov on PS5 and Xbox: Is the Wait Finally Over?

Escape from Tarkov is finally stepping out of its long beta era and heading to consoles. Sort of. The console version is officially happening, PlayStation included, but there is no firm date yet. Meanwhile, the PC crowd gets the full 1.0 launch on Steam on November 15, 2025. That gap is already stirring up some reactions — and a bit of competition.

The quick version

• Console release: Confirmed (including PlayStation), no release date yet.
• PC full release: Steam on November 15, 2025.
• How it will play on console: Expect recoil to be dialed back; aim-assist is unknown. Some shooters (like Rainbow Six Siege X) skip aim-assist entirely on both Xbox and PlayStation, so Tarkov might do the same. Core mechanics are expected to carry over intact.
• BSG beyond launch: Battlestate Games says it has more projects in the Tarkov universe in the works, plus post-launch support for EFT. The studio leaving beta looks like it is opening the floodgates.
• The competition: ARC Raiders (from Embark Studios) is landing first, on October 30, 2025, with a similar broad idea but more variety and flashy systems. Some fans say it has deeper, more immediately engaging gameplay, while Tarkov keeps things grounded and brutally realistic.
• Community pulse: PlayStation Reddit chatter leans toward ARC Raiders simply because it is out sooner. Still, plenty of players prefer Tarkov’s no-frills realism and are waiting it out.
• Timing matters: Tarkov has been around in some form for over a decade and getting content for around eight years. Fans are hoping the console version lands in 2026; miss that window and BSG risks losing momentum.

So what actually changes on console?

Tarkov is a harsh game by design. On console, expect some mercy: weapon recoil is likely to be toned down a lot to fit controllers. Whether aim-assist shows up is unknown. That is a touchy subject, and there is precedent for skipping it entirely on console — see Rainbow Six Siege X. Everything else? The plan is to keep the core experience and systems intact, which is exactly what a lot of fans want to hear.

Why ARC Raiders is suddenly in the conversation

The timing is the curveball. With Tarkov’s console date still floating, ARC Raiders is sprinting to shelves first on October 30, 2025. It is not identical to EFT, but it swims in the same waters: extraction vibes, high-stakes runs, and a loop built around risk and reward. The pitch is that ARC Raiders brings more variety and slicker, more approachable depth out of the gate, while Tarkov stays committed to its slow-burn realism. Different flavors, same aisle.

Where this leaves BSG

Battlestate has momentum on PC with that November Steam launch, plus more Tarkov-universe projects and post-launch content lined up. The tricky part is console timing. The community read: hit consoles in 2026 and ride the wave; push past that and it starts to look like a missed shot — especially if ARC Raiders sticks the landing first.