Battlestate Games has released the 1.2.0.0 update for Escape from Tarkov, adding a Prestige system to the PvE mode and adjusting AI Scavs and loot. Players who meet the requirements can progress through a reset-like advancement process via the Prestige system.
Prestige requirements involve character level, specific tasks, Hideout upgrades, main story progress, stash items and funds, and character skills. The threshold for entering Prestige for the first time in PvE is slightly lower than in PvP, and rewards may differ; specific benefits are subject to in-game rules.
AI Scav behavior has also changed. USEC and BEAR faction bots are more likely to operate in groups and are no longer hostile toward each other; some bots may remain neutral until approached or attacked by the player. Their tendency to engage scavengers and bosses, as well as their spawn counts and logic, have been adjusted. Bot equipment, weapons, and combat difficulty vary by level and faction, with lower-level targets using basic gear and higher-level ones posing a greater threat.
The update also introduces the EXFIL Brothers Program to help new players earn rewards. Other changes include quick actions in the trading interface, pinning friends to the top of the friend list, extraction status indicators, and improved server location synchronization to reduce rubberbanding, along with fixes for various map, visual, and multiplayer issues. Additionally, as reported, in-game rubles can now be purchased with real money in PvE zones.