What the Red Skull icon on the map means in Escape from Tarkov

Developing video games often takes years, and after over nine years in development, Escape from Tarkov is almost ready for its full 1.0 release! The complete version of the game launches tomorrow, and it will finally be available on Steam, with the added bonus of allowing players to carry over their existing progress. Now is a fantastic time to check out the game and see what helped define this exciting genre. Escape from Tarkov (often called EfT) has evolved significantly over the years, with Battlestate Games recently adding a Red Skull marker to the map selection screen. But what does this marker actually mean? Let’s find out.

What the Red Skull on the map means in Escape from Tarkov

Escape from Tarkov is a game where you try to enter a dangerous area, collect valuable items, and then safely escape with your loot. It’s challenging because you’ll encounter both AI-controlled enemies and other players, and if you die, you lose everything you’ve collected.

When you start a new game, you’ll need to pick where you want to explore. These locations are usually shown as gray dots on the map. Occasionally, you’ll see a red skull near a dot. This means that a boss enemy is guaranteed to appear in that area. So, if you’re looking for a boss fight, head straight for the location with the red skull!

With the release of the 1.0 update, Escape from Tarkov will also introduce a story campaign. The developers say it will be very difficult, and only a small number of players will be able to achieve the best possible outcome.

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2025-11-14 18:32