The Escape from Tarkov universe is expanding with the release of a new spin-off, Escape from Tarkov Arena. The game doesn't have a release date yet, but we do know it will not have any microtransactions.

Nikita Buyanov, studio boss at Battlestate Games, told GameSpot in simple terms that Arena will have "no microtransactions for sure." He went on to say that there will be no pay-to-win elements either. "We are against that," Buyanov said.

He went on to say that Battlestate is considering adopting a seasonal approach for Arena where more content and updates are released over time. And like other games of that ilk, there could be battle passes in Arena, but nothing is certain yet, Buyanov explained.

Escape from Tarkov is a PvPvE game known for being aimed at hardcore players who want to invest time and energy into learning its many systems. The game's structure and features might not appeal to everyone, and that's where Arena comes in.

"I think Arena will make the [Escape from Tarkov] universe more whole," Buyanov said. "People will play Escape from Tarkov and then Arena. It will be a good addition. I think they will live together. I think the audience could be big because literally everybody will have an option to play it, and it will not be [as] hard to play as EFT itself…"

Arena is reportedly eyeing an early December release for its beta test, but Battlestate has not yet announced specifics. While we wait, you can check out GameSpot's hands-on impressions of the game from Gamescom in the video above.

You can preorder Arena now for $35. Doing so gets you early access to a closed beta test and other bonuses. People who buy the Escape from Tarkov: Edge of Darkness edition get into the Arena test at no extra cost.