Escape From Tarkov Wipe Schedule – When is the Next Wipe?

Escape From Tarkov players get excited when they read the word wipe. It’s a glorious time for EFT players of all skill levels and brings many players back to the game for some primitive PvP action. So, when is the next Escape From Tarkov wipe date? Here’s everything you need to know about the next wipe and some general information about how wipes work and why they’re a good thing.

When is the next wipe in Escape From Tarkov?

The next wipe in Escape From Tarkov is currently unknown. You can expect the next wipe to come alongside the 13.0 update. Escape From Tarkov last wiped on December 24, 2020, with patch 0.12.9.

Generally, wipes take place every six to ten months based on historical data. Battlestate Games will typically give a short heads up a day in advance so that you can blow through all your money. When you hear people say a wipe is coming on Thursday, they are usually joking, so take it with a grain of salt.

What is a wipe?

Escape From Tarkov performs wipes every so often, which sometimes coincide with various updates to the game. A wipe in Escape From Tarkov is a complete reset of everything on your character. Imagine as if you just bought the game and have very little rubles to work with—that’s the state everyone gets reset to in a wipe. 

When Battlestate adds new maps, new tasks, new features, or other major updates, they’ll usually perform a wipe. There are many reasons for this, but simply, it’s to put everyone on the same playing field. Also, new items make their way into the game all the time, some of which would never get any usage. Take a lower-level armor, for instance. If you continue to keep your levels, nobody would ever use the new lower-tier stuff since everyone would have the best stuff.

Why are wipes a good thing?

Wipes bring back a lot of the player base, which is probably the biggest plus. Lots of people either fall behind or gear up quickly and get bored over time. For many players, this means some of their friends come back, and they can now play with a squad. Another major pro to wipes is that everyone gets on an even playing field, gear-wise. Sure, some players may be well ahead of the curve in terms of skill. But you’ll have a much better chance of survival in the first few days of a wipe if you’re a new player. 

In the early phases of a wipe, everyone is running around with primitive gear like pistols and low-tier ammo. It makes for some fun battles instead of getting one-tapped from 300 meters away from try-hard Timmy. Many players are busy doing quests, going for similar items, and no one has a severe gear advantage. Overall, it makes for some more fun PvP battles.

If you’re a new player and you think waiting for a wipe is a better time to learn the game, you may want to think again. Playing mid-wipe is an excellent opportunity to learn the maps and figure out your strategy. Sure, wipe time puts everyone on an even playing field gear-wise, but if you don’t know the maps, you’ll still be at a big disadvantage.