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

Game development can take a very long time. After more than 9 years, Escape from Tarkov is close to the 1.0 release. “Full version” will be available tomorrow. Additionally, on the same day, this extraction shooter will be finally launched on Steam and it will be even possible to transfer progress. So, it’s a great time to try the game and find out what the precursor of the genre looks like today. As you may know, EfT, changed over the years. Among other things, Battlestate Games added a Red Skull marker that appears on the map selection screen. What does it mean? Let’s answer this question.

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

Escape from Tarkov is an extraction shooter. In this type of games you have a simple goal – you must get as much loot as possible and leave the area. Of course, you must face creatures and other players during the run. So, survival can be a problem sometimes. If you die, your catch will be lost.

At the beginning of each run, you must choose what location you want to visit. All these places are usually marked as gray dots. However, sometimes you will see a Red Skull near one of them. What does it mean? The answer is simple – this is the region where the boss spawn is guaranteed. So, if you want to hunt these types of enemies, you know perfectly where to go.

You should also remember that alongside the 1.0 patch, Escape from Tarkov will receive story campaign. As developers claim, it will be challenging experience and only small percentage of players will see the best ending.

Escape from Tarkov

November 15, 2025

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