How to access Escape from Tarkov Arena & invite waves explained

Find out how to get access to the new Escape from Tarkov Arena game mode here, and learn how to invite waves work so you can finally start playing the game.

Harry Boulton

21st Dec 2023 14:08

Images via Battlestate games

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Figuring out how to access Escape from Tarkov Arena at the moment is certainly a bit of a nightmare, as invite waves have left many players unable to jump into the quicker TDM format.

After years of anticipation, it is no surprise that the new standalone game mode has an extremely long queue of people waiting to get in. Battlestate has decided to stagger invites for eligible players though, and you can find out how the process works below, alongside what you need to do to get on the waiting list.

How do I get access to Escape from Tarkov Arena?

To access the new Arena game mode in Escape from Tarkov, you need to make sure that you have an Edge of Darkness account or have purchased the game separately, and then request access to the game mode.

Purchasing Arena

Edge of Darkness (EoD) accounts are those who have purchased the most expensive edition of the game, which costs €155 and includes a wide array of bonuses for the main game alongside Arena access. You can upgrade to this edition if you have any of the lower tiers for a reduced price, so it's not like you need to buy the game twice.

You will shortly not be able to purchase EoD anymore though, so thankfully you can also purchase the Arena game mode as a standalone experience for €37 on the official website, giving you access to the closed beta test.

Requesting access

Image showing you how to request access for Escape from Tarkov Arena

Once you've purchased Arena across any of the different methods, all you need to do now is head to the official Escape from Tarkov Arena website, log in to your account, and press the 'Pre-order' button in the top right. This will then register your request for access, and there should be text saying 'Package Purchased' with a tick next to it on the page.

The frustrating part now is waiting for your access to unlock in one of the various invite waves being sent out post-release. Your best bet is to keep checking the launcher and stay active on forums, and hopefully, you'll be able to jump in soon.

Invite waves explained in Escape from Tarkov Arena

If you've been frequenting forums or wondering when you'll be able to actually play Arena then you might have realised that invite waves are certain times when a bunch of players are given access to the game mode.

Not everyone can play Arena at the same time, and Battlestate is instead staggering access to presumably ease server load.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any form of priority for getting access to Arena outside of high-level streamers, as there are countless instances of players who have had EoD since 2017 but still haven't been able to play the game.

I'm still waiting for my invite, and I'm just checking various forums or the EFT subreddit's mega-thread to see when other players are reporting that they've gained access. This is typically an indicator of a new 'wave' of invites being sent out, and hopefully, we'll all be lucky enough to be included in the near future.

About The Author

Harry Boulton

Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.

Edge of Darkness

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