It is a rare occurrence for a studio lead to openly admit that their project is specifically designed to get under the players’ skin.
During a recent episode of the Access Granted podcast, Nikita Buyanov, the head of Battlestate Games, spoke candidly about the core philosophy driving the development of Escape from Tarkov. He clarified that the team’s objective isn’t to provide conventional “fun,” but rather to elicit profound emotional responses through relentless challenges and high-stakes pressure.
People truly want to play a game like this—something intellectual, complex, punishing, and ruthless… Something that genuinely jolts their emotions rather than simply providing entertainment. Tarkov was built for satisfaction, not for fun. Not for joy. It exists to provide a chance for fulfillment or to create a sense of profound discomfort. That is what it is. You either get everything, or you get nothing at all.
This sentiment echoes previous comments made by Mr. Buyanov, where he expressed a desire for console players to experience a similar level of “suffering” when Escape from Tarkov eventually reaches those platforms.
Source: iXBT.games