The new Tarkov patch notes make for interesting reading. Credit: Battlestate Games / Mike StubbsThe patch notes for the new Escape From Tarkov wipe have been released, and they bring some major new features, including a wild new type of extraction that is available on all the maps, as well as the long awaited engine upgrade that should bring a lot of technical improvements.With the installation now getting underway, the patch notes for Escape From Tarkov 0.16.0.0 have been released, and they make for some very interesting reading. Compared to other winter wipes, this patch is a little smaller than usual, but there are some major new features and content added to keep things fresh.The biggest change is one that may not be immediately obvious but will have a big impact. The engine that Tarkov runs on has now been updated to Unity 2022, which is a much more modern version of the Unity engine that Tarkov is built on. This upgrade will allow the development team to have access to a lot of new features and make a lot of technical improvements. Initially there may not be too many differences, as the goal was to get Tarkov running as smoothly as possible on the new engine, but as time goes on more of the engines features are expected to be used.However, the Unity 2022 has brought one significant improvement for the 0.16.0.0 patch, an overhaul to the audio in Tarkov. The patch notes dont give too much away, but the new audio system should bring a lot of improvements when it comes to locating the direction a sound comes from, something Tarkov still struggles with.Another, somewhat wild, addition to Escape From Tarkov is the new hidden extraction mechanic, which is available on the eight main Tarkov maps. This new extraction option on all the maps requires you to find a specific item in the raid to be able to use the new extraction, meaning it will not be something you can use too often. However, it sounds like a fun extra extraction option that could further prevent players trying to camp popular extracts on maps like Reserve.Read More: Escape From Tarkov Wipe And Patch Date Confirmed, And Its Very SoonThe other big addition is the launch of the prestige system, which effectively allows you to play through the game multiple times without having to reset your character. When you prestige, you can unlock rewards including hideout upgrades that wont have much of an impact on gameplay, but can be shown off to friends with the new ability to visit other peoples hideouts or have others come to yours.The full patch notes cover all the changes, but there are a few other noteworthy additions including some new weapons, details on the reworked recoil system and of course, the big overhaul to the Customs map.Are The Escape From Tarkov Servers Down?The Escape From Tarkov 0.16.0.0 patch is currently being installed onto the severs, which means the Tarkov servers are currently down. Providing there are no delays, the servers are expected to come back online around 3:00 PM GMT / 10AM EST, and that is when you will be able to play the new patch. Until then, youll just have to keep reading the patch notes over and over until you are sure you have a handle on all the changes that are about to arrive in Tarkov.