Escape from Tarkov Update Today
The current live patch is 1.3.0.0 (October 29) — the Halloween infection event — followed by two technical updates, most recently on November 3. Below is everything that changed and what's coming next.
Latest change (Nov 3): a technical update fixed lighting on Infected Factory, an unsearchable scientist corpse on Infected Lab, and Halloween menu bugs. Grab it through the launcher — updated servers may temporarily run 10-minute raid timers.
Patch 1.3.0.0 — the Halloween update (Oct 29)
The headline update: a zombie-style outbreak across Tarkov, playable in both PvP and PvE including the seasonal mode.
- Infected Factory & Infected Lab — two special event maps selected via the red Halloween button in map select. Groups of up to three; insurance is disabled on both.
- New enemies — fast, slow and ranged infected replace Scavs, plus infected Black Division operatives and Infected Tagilla roaming with a scythe. Two headshots drops a basic infected.
- Event questline — starts with "Halloween: Rumors" from Skier (kill 10 infected on Factory for an AA-12 shotgun), then you pick a side: help Skier enforce quarantine or help Therapist hunt vaccine components on Lab.
- Fall season — weather, foliage and day-night cycle switched to autumn.
- Harder PvE bots — high-difficulty PMC bots can now spawn on high-level PvE Zone locations.
- Balance & quality of life — Metabolism leveling reworked, faster skill leveling in Seasonal mode, longer-lived tripwires, easier pickup on small valuables, plus a batch of map, weapon and bot fixes.
- Hideout styles — two new customization sets ("Your Own Celestial Empire", "Once Upon a Time in Tarkov"), more coming later.
Follow-up technical updates
| Date | What it fixed |
|---|---|
| Oct 31 | Could not vault or move while prone in certain areas; container searches interrupted mid-loot |
| Nov 3 | Wrong lighting in parts of Infected Factory; a scientist corpse on Infected Lab could not be searched; Halloween main-menu background low-res on Low textures; menu animation disappearing after raids |
Raid timer note: after each technical update, patched servers can temporarily cut raid time to ~10 minutes. Plan loot-heavy runs accordingly until it settles.
Coming next
The engine upgrade everyone is waiting on slipped past this patch.
- Unity 6 migration → patch 1.3.5.0, mid-November. It was originally planned for October but Battlestate pushed it back — expect performance and visual changes when it lands.
- Partisan spawn rate raised — base chance on Lighthouse, Shoreline, Woods and Customs is now 25%; low-karma PMCs raise it further in PvP and Seasonal.
FAQ
What is today's Escape from Tarkov update?
As of November 4 the live build is patch 1.3.0.0 plus the November 3 technical update — the fixes for the Halloween maps and menu. No new content patch has dropped since October 29.
How do I start the Halloween event?
Take "Halloween: Rumors" from Skier, then pick the red Halloween button on the map select screen and load into Infected Factory or Infected Lab. The event works in PvP, PvE and the seasonal mode.
Does insurance work on the infected maps?
No — insurance is disabled on both Infected Factory and Infected Lab, so don't bring gear you can't afford to lose.
When is the Unity 6 update?
Battlestate moved it from October to patch 1.3.5.0, targeting mid-November 2026.