‘Escape From Tarkov’ economy crashes due to Russian sanctions

The game's primary currency is tied to the value of the Russian rouble

The economy in Escape From Tarkov has been upended, as the value of its primary in-game currency is tied to the real-world Russian rouble.

As The Loadout reports, the main currency in Escape From Tarkov – called the rouble – is tied to the real-world value of the Russian rouble. This has caused major issues for players looking to buy and sell goods in the game.

This is because real-world sanctions on Russia have caused the value of the rouble to plummet to a record low, after the country launched an ongoing military offensive against Ukraine on February 24.

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As a result, the two other currencies in Escape From Tarkov – euros and dollars – have become much more expensive for players, as a lower rouble value means players can buy less foreign currency with their cash. As The Loadout reports, one dollar now costs 147 roubles – which is a significant increase from last wipe’s going rate of 135 roubles per dollar.

Escape From Tarkov
Escape From Tarkov. Credit: Battlestate Games.

Because of this, players on the Flea Market are now opting to buy and sell more goods with euros and dollars, rather than with the default roubles. Likewise, players are also selling more of their items to Peacekeeper – a trader who buys items for dollars – to get more value out of their loot.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, weapons that can be bought with roubles have significantly fallen in value – The Loadout notes that the AKS-74UB and AK-74M have dropped in value by 37 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.

It’s not the first time that the real-world economy has affected Escape From Tarkov. Previously, soaring Bitcoin prices meant that the value of in-game Bitcoin skyrocketed, causing players to acquire vast amounts of wealth that could be spent on high-end gear.

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In other news, game developers are currently putting together a “Bundle For Ukraine”, a collection of games that will raise money for charities helping victims of the conflict.

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