Escape from Tarkov: Developer banned from Twitch for second time

Battlestate Games, the developer of Escape from Tarkov, has recently got banned for the second time from Twitch.

The developer’s official Twitch channel is no longer available starting on January 1 and according to Twitch’s message, Battlestate’s platform violated “Twitch’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service.” The platform did not specify violations made by the Russian developer but fans speculated certain breaches that could possibly result in the ban.

Battlestate often used the live-streaming platform to inform fans about Escape from Tarkov updates. The channel’s viewers discussed a specific segment within these live streams where the developer’s team members would aim weapons, including airsoft rifles, at one another.

Twitch’s platform guideline prohibits streamers from showing the “brandishing” of lethal weapons on their channel. While some fans think Battlestate violated this community guideline, others point out that Twitch has not always enforced the regulation strictly. Other past streams showed knives and those channels did not face repercussions if the weapons were not used in a threatening way.

Other fans claimed that a Battlestate member went live while drunk. He allegedly said offensive Russian words to some viewers, resulting in the ban. However, it is impossible for fans to double check this claim because the channel’s VODs and clips are no longer available due to Twitch’s ban.

As of the time of writing, Battlestate has not made any statement regarding the channel ban. This ban came in time with the developer’s Twitch drops program which started on December 29, 2022, and will end on January 8, 2023. The developer hosts this event to celebrate the holiday season and commence a new wipe with the release of Patch 0.13.

Accounts streaming under the Escape from Tarkov category at certain times during the event period are eligible to receive drops from the developer. Players can find the streaming schedule on the developer’s website. The drop items include weapons, gear and other rare items.

Before the ban, Battlestate initially planned to have multiple streams on its channel throughout the event. Although the developer can no longer continue streaming on its own channel, it promotes other streamers playing Escape from Tarkov on their respective channels.

This ban is not the first one that Battlestate has gotten from Twitch. Twitch suspended Battlestate’s channel in 2019 after one of its team members mimicked a suicide act on a live stream while promoting updates for the game. The developer made an appeal to reinstate its channel but most people agreed that the action was a violation of Twitch’s community guidelines.

Twitch has suspended many streamers over the years. Last month, it suspended Russian streamer Mira for an unspecified reason. Although Mira’s channel has been restored by the platform, the streamer still expresses dissatisfaction at Twitch’s action. She said her account suspension reinforced misogyny on the streaming platform by discrediting women’s bodies.

About Escape from Tarkov

Introduced for early access in 2017, Escape from Tarkov quickly gained popularity among many survival games released at the same time. The first-person shooter game combines components from other games, like Call of Duty and Rust. Its high difficulty level entices battle royale fans to play the game.

Twitch has helped Tarkov receive more attention from gamers over the years. Battlestate already hosted several item drops on Twitch in the past and met positive receptions from fans. The developer also collaborated with other streamers to promote Escape from Tarkov, as seen in the current Twitch drop event.

Escape from Tarkov’s recent updates introduced several new items and a new map. The new map features different extraction points that players must learn quickly to get ahead in the game. Patch 0.13 also enables characters to work out in the gym to get stronger.