Escape From Tarkov's first crossover has arrived, and all it took was a trigger-happy rubber duck

I genuinely never thought I’d see the day where Escape From Tarkov would get a crossover with another game or IP. A hardcore shooter so focused on immersion and realism, it’d be a shock to see any other influences creep in – especially given that its fan base can be, erm, reactionary at times. However, today marks the launch of Tarkov’s first collab, and despite it involving a game all about bloodthirsty rubber ducks, it makes all the sense in the world. It’s with Escape From Duckov, the ludicrous PvE extraction shooter directly inspired by EFT.

You’ll have probably seen the hype around Escape From Duckov when it launched last year – the game was one of the biggest surprises of 2025, shifting over two million copies. A top-down, single-player extraction shooter where human mercenaries are replaced with ducks, it was a surreal concept, and I was initially worried the very close comparison to Escape From Tarkov would irk Battlestate Games.

However, the total opposite is true. As was announced last week, a crossover between the breakout hit and one of the most intense FPS games of all time has been in the works, and today it arrives, with both games getting new content that celebrates one another.

In Escape From Tarkov, the influence of Duckov is suitably understated, and arrives as part of a wider update that makes dozens of important balance changes, adds support for Steam Rich Presence that allows users to see in more detail what their pals are up to in Tarkov, and shifts maps over to the spring season. A new duck-hunting task has been added, and completing it will reward you “a set of exclusive rewards in both PvP and PvE mode.” The crossover also sees new crafting recipes, hideout customization options, and items added. I did slightly choke on my coffee this morning when I saw the slightly sinister new food item, which is a can of duck paté… Poor things.

I like how Battlestate has implemented this – it’s a fitting homage to Duckov, without steering away from Tarkov’s vibe. As someone growing more and more weary of Call of Duty’s ridiculous crossovers, this is refreshing to see.

Over in Escape From Duckov, the collaboration is far more apparent and obvious. A new map called Lab Area 37 arrives, and within it you’ll find some of Tarkov’s most notable characters and scav bosses as enemies. Yes, Killa is there. Of course Killa is there. However, this is again tied to a larger update that makes some other interesting changes, including the addition of the game’s first rideable mount, because what’s weirder than a duck wielding an AK-47? A duck wielding an AK-47 on a horse, that’s what.

As a final symbol of EFT and EFD’s unity, the two games are now part of a Steam bundle that knocks a small percentage off the collective price. You can grab the bundle here for $51.50 / £46.70. If you’re a Tarkov player intrigued by Duckov’s premise, you can also get it individually for 20% off right now.

While it was certainly pleasantly surprising to see Battlestate leaning in and celebrating Escape From Duckov, rather than getting hostile about it, it’s good to discover that it has shown some restraint with the crossover. The duck paté item certainly shows its ruthless, dark-humored side too. Will it open the door for more crossovers in EFT? I highly doubt it. As for Duckov, it takes itself far less seriously and I could see it becoming as collab-stuffed as something like Vampire Survivors, if it can find suitable partners.