Is Tarkov Bitcoin Real?
Is Tarkov Bitcoin real or just a part of a great virtual world? To get an answer to this, you would have to take a deep dive into the Tarkov Bitcoin mystery, how it is compared to ordinary Bitcoin, and whether this virtual currency can boast at least some real value.
The world of video games keeps up with the changing times: their worlds are filled with players earning and trading virtual items, currency, and assets that feel very real.
But among those games that surely caught the attention of hardcore gamers and survival enthusiasts is Escape from Tarkov, a gritty, first-person shooter based on the fictional concept of a war-torn Russian city.
Among its many unique aspects is its inclusion of Tarkov Bitcoin, a virtual item within the in-game economy. But among the biggest questions that seem to always linger in the mind of every player, or crypto enthusiast for that matter, is: Is Tarkov Bitcoin for real?
To answer this, one must delve deep into what exactly Tarkov Bitcoin is, how it compares to the real-world Bitcoin, and if it holds any serious value off the digital battlefield.
What Is Tarkov Bitcoin?
The in-game item in Escape from Tarkov is Tarkov Bitcoin, which players of this video game can find, trade for, or even craft within the game.
It was created by the developers of this game, Battlestate Games, as a way to introduce a digital cryptocurrency into the game’s already complex economy. This digital currency can be used to barter for very significant weapons, armor, and other vital resources needed in survival within the harsh environment of Tarkov.
Tarkov Bitcoin is completely fictional within the game and functions just like real-world Bitcoin within financial markets. Players can collect or craft Tarkov Bitcoin through using the Bitcoin Farm, a special upgrade in the player’s hideout.
This farm requires the player to collect certain items and invest some time and resources into generating Tarkov Bitcoin, which then can be used either for trading purposes within the game’s economy or sold for in-game currency called Roubles.
Is there a Difference Between Tarkov Bitcoin and the Regular One?
While Tarkov Bitcoin shares the name, functionality-wise, with the real-world Bitcoin, they are really apart. Let me get a closer look at what makes Tarkov Bitcoin different from regular Bitcoin:
1. Virtual Currency vs. Real Currency
The most obvious difference between the Tarkov Bitcoin and the real one is that the former is a virtual in-game item, while the latter is a blockchain technology-based decentralized digital currency.
Real Bitcoin is available for anyone to buy and sell on online cryptocurrency exchanges, where its value fluctuates based on market demand. Outside of the game economy, Tarkov Bitcoin has no real-world value.
2. Blockchain vs. Game Economy
Real Bitcoin is decentralized and resides on a blockchain network, where miners validate the transactions through something called proof of work.
Tarkov Bitcoin does not operate on any blockchain and is completely controlled by game developers, integrated into the in-game economy as a tradeable item, just like weapons or medical supplies.
3. Fixed Supply vs. Infinite Crafting
It is this scarcity that helps drive up its value, so, with Tarkov Bitcoin, it can be infinitely crafted in-game so long as the player has the resources to do so and is in possession of a Bitcoin Farm. The only real limitation is how much time and energy one wants to dedicate to making Bitcoin in Tarkov.
4. Investment in Real Life vs. Time Spent in the Game
Investment with real Bitcoin costs people their well-earned money while they hope for returns in case the value goes up or down in different global markets.
In Tarkov, Bitcoin requires time investment and investment in-game resources to craft or find. While it can be bartered for useful items within the game, it does not provide any real-world financial return.
The Advantages of Tarkov Bitcoin
Just as any other currency – virtual or real – does, Tarkov Bitcoin has its set of pros and cons in the context of Escape from Tarkov. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using Tarkov Bitcoin in the game.
1. High Trading Value
Whoever manages to craft or finds this in-game currency within the game is allowed to trade it for high-tier weapons, armor, and other rare items that will help players increase their survival rate by a wide margin. Its high value makes it a coveted resource for experienced players.
2. Crafting Opportunities
The upgraded version of the Bitcoin farm will be able to produce Tarkov Bitcoins after an in-game time period has elapsed, thus providing a good flow of income during gameplay.
This way, gamers can invest in their hideout and further work on enhancing their chances of success during raids. The more advanced your hideout, the quicker it is that you can then make the much-needed production of Tarkov Bitcoin.
The Cons of Tarkov Bitcoin
In the later parts of the game, Tarkov Bitcoin becomes critical for higher-tier trade in-game with Traders, the NPCs who can sell goods, and there’s more like:
1. Time-Consuming
Creating Tarkov Bitcoin in the Bitcoin farm is a serious time investment, as well as an investment into upgrading one’s hideout to the point where they can even create Bitcoin.
For players who wish to have quick access to more powerful items, this is both slow and frustrating. Secondly, it’s good for use only in-game.
2. High Risk of Loss
Like all items in Escape from Tarkov, a player can lose his Tarkov Bitcoin by dying in a raid and not having the items insured or found by a buddy. This creates a big risk, in a sense, especially when one has to deal with the hassle of crafting or finding Tarkov Bitcoin.
3. Market Fluctuations
Although Tarkov Bitcoin is rather stable, sometimes it does show deviations in its value because of the in-game market demand and gametitle developer updates.
This means that over time, the value of Tarkov Bitcoin in Roubles could change, which would then change how much players get for it when they come to trade it.
Bottom Line
While Tarkov Bitcoin may be the similar twin to the real-world Bitcoin in terms of what was written here, both exist in two different worlds: one existing in the real world’s financial system, while the other is in the fictional, war-torn environment of Escape from Tarkov.
The Tarkov Bitcoin is a sort of in-game resource that players can use to gain an edge within the game; it holds absolutely no real-world value. That is part of the immersive experience Battlestate Games have managed to come up with: every decision, every item, and every trade may serve as that thin line between life and death.
For those who would ask if Tarkov Bitcoin is real, the answer would be yes and no. It’s very real in that it’s a functional and useful thing within the game economy, but it’s not real in that Bitcoin, say, is a decentralized, blockchain-based cryptocurrency that has value in the real world.
Eventually, Tarkov Bitcoin is a curious example of how video games can take elements from real-world systems, such as cryptocurrency, and take them into their mechanics in so much more lively and engaging ways.