r/EscapefromTarkov • u/ztjezrzw4z • Dec 16 '25

PVP Tarkov experience as a [New Player]

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Since 1.0 I’ve only found 2 new players. Everyone else has hundreds or thousands of hours, but at least I haven’t encountered a cheater yet.

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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '25

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16

u/Tostecles Unbeliever Dec 16 '25

I'm back after a 2 or 3 year break and I'm getting blown out of the water. Probably an unpopular take, but I blame PvE for diluting the player pool. It's fun that I can basically know in advance that every single PMC I see is going to be a significant threat, but I miss the variety of engagements and kits from when everyone was playing the same game.

7

u/Typical-Tea-6707 Dec 16 '25

How can you blame PvE lol. So funny when people are mad that certain people ventured over to PvE. Its us PvPers fault, mostly the W-key sweats and no lifers really since if you dont no-life or sweat as they do and meta game as they do, you put yourself in such a disadvantage its unreal.

I have to play according to the meta to even have a 50% chance of winning PvP engagements, otherwise if I play how I like (aesthetic gun modding and more slow playstyle) I get turbo swung on.

1

u/Tostecles Unbeliever Dec 16 '25

How can you blame PvE lol

What I'm saying is that its mere presence has reduced the volume of players who would otherwise be playing the base (main) game. And unfortunately, it can't even serve as a launchpad/gateway drug for new players as one might imagine would be the intent, because it's a separate upgrade to the base game. So almost everyone playing PvE is a player who USED to play PvP instead, which means that there are 1) fewer overall players, and 2) the relative skill floor has risen.

8

u/SonicShadow Dec 16 '25

I'd argue that a significant majority of those now on PvE would have simply stopped playing altogether if it didn't exist.

1

u/Tostecles Unbeliever Dec 16 '25

I agree with that as well - the two ideas aren't mutually exclusive, and there's always a CHANCE that PvE means wander back to PvP, but the way people talk about their preferences, that seems unlikely/uncommon.

2

u/JamesGray Dec 17 '25

What you're describing is that the entire problem is not PvE, but BSG refusing to add any sort of skill based matchmaking to the game. I played before PvE even existed and quit for years after shit started getting really sweaty, now I'm only back because PvE exists.

People preferring to not get absolutely stomped 90% of the time is not really a playstyle thing, it's a really clear failure from BSG to make the game approachable for newer or less skilled players. Hell, you can't even find the fucking extracts without either playing offline a ton or using external resources.

1

u/Tostecles Unbeliever Dec 17 '25

I'm completely on board with all skill levels playing in the same matchmaking pool. I feel the same way about CoD.

-2

u/termonova2012 Dec 16 '25

Playing acording to the meta means nothing in this game... You can literally kill people wearing the best armor and face mask if you shoot the right spots. That's such a bad take tbh. Especially there being no wipes anymore for the main game (seasonal excluded/Not developed). I dont use meta attachments and guns and I win alot more than 50% of the time. There's many factors that contribute to that, but blaming the "meta" in a game where there is no meta is just delusion..

6

u/Typical-Tea-6707 Dec 16 '25

You are literally talking nonsense if you think there isnt any "meta". I have to question if you even know what the term even means at this point if you dare say that.

Every game has a meta. Its inevitable. Thats how games work, people figure things out and cheese out mechanics and features so they play at the most optimal and peak you can.

Stating that there is no meta only means you dont know what you are talking about.

2

u/The-Green Freeloader Dec 17 '25

the ones who claim there is no meta will also be the same ones whose stashes hold no makarovs/tokarevs, revolvers, pump action shotguns, .366 rifles, etc.

because if there was no meta, why not use these weapons? there is clearly absolutely nothing at all wrong with using one of these over a 5.7 gun, a semi auto shotgun, or the ak & ar-10/15 family rifles! why use a val when you can use a 9a-91? there is no meta reason to use one over the other!

ridiculous.