Escape from Tarkov Arena is now a few months old, and Battlestate Games is starting to roll out some major updates to the game. Most recently, the team deployed an ‘unranked mode’ in the game that allows for a more casual rate of play to take place. It was always on the cards, but it was recently revealed how the unranked modes will function in Tarkov Arena and how they differ from the core, ranked platform.

Not only that but Battlestate Games also made several quality-of-life changes and tweaked some in-game settings to offer a better experience overall. These changes are mostly community-led by nature, with Tarkov Arena’s most dedicated players feeding back what’s ‘wrong’ with the game. As a live service, ever-evolving title, Tarkov Arena will see many more changes in the future, but the latest round of updates is detailed below for you to explore.

Take it Easy

Tarkov Arena’s new unranked platform features two core game modes: TeamFight and ShootOut. They’ll be familiar to anyone who has played Tarkov Arena since it was released at the start of December, but it’s how these modes now play out that makes a difference. While playing unranked modes, gamers will be unable to earn ARP – but there are boosted levels of cash rewards available. There are also no preset restrictions, which means players can have the same loadout as other competitors on their team.

Outside of these changes, Tarkov Arena’s unranked mode remains mostly the same as the ranked play environment. No changes are being made to the overall look, feel, or mechanics of the game, so you’ll still need lightning-fast reflexes and incredible awareness to land wins.

In the full patch notes for ‘0.1.5.1’, Battlestate Games further revealed a suite of changes coming to Tarkov Arena:

Matchmaking preset and accept times have been reduced
Arena announcer and notification sounds have been reduced
VoIP radios have had their sound levels reduced
Experience points have been reworked when it comes to ‘rolling over’ points
Team kills now have harsher penalties, with four team kills being punished with an immediate kick from the game

Tarkov Arena continues to be a popular enough alternative to Escape from Tarkov’s core gameplay loop. It was designed as a title that can facilitate an esports ecosystem, but since the first tournament took place in December, there has been no talk of a follow-up event.

For more Escape from Tarkov news, stay tuned to Esports.net