Alright, this is it, y'all. I have compiled everything and made it easier to read and follow. I also italicized things that are of note, especially if you choose to look further into the world. If you want to look further into what I wrote and not just summaries here, go check my other articles. Also, now that this is finished, I am going to attempt to run a R.2028 game!
The universe of Russia 2028 is, without question, my all-time favorite setting in any piece of speculative fiction; RimWorld comes in a close second. It’s the foundation for some of the grittiest, most immersive games I’ve ever played: Contract Wars, Hired Ops, Escape from Tarkov, and the unreleased but much-anticipated titular Russia 2028. This multimedia setting also spans a live-action film series, short films like Chronicles of Ryhzy and RAID, and three lore-rich novels. Unsurprisingly, I’ve translated this world into multiple GURPS campaigns. So, grab some Tushonka, and let me walk you through everything you need to run a Russia 2028 campaign.
Despite its name, the Russia 2028 universe stretches back well before the titular year, going back to the late '90s. The chronological order of events begins with Contract Wars, followed by Hired Ops, Escape from Tarkov, and, theoretically, Russia 2028. That last installment sadly never materialized, although Nikita Buyanov has recently hinted at its potential revival.
The world's first major events occurred in the early 2010s, during the construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Around this time, the Russian government established the “Norvinsk Special Economic Zone”, a region designed to attract corporate investment with special tax statuses and what was vaguely described as "the attention of government." Loosely inspired by Skolkovo in real-world Russia, the zone rapidly developed into two technologically advanced cities: Norvinsk City and Tarkov City. Tarkov boasted high-speed rails, a bustling port, and vast industrial infrastructure, while Norvinsk became the zone’s financial center.
Tarkov City’s location is near St. Petersburg, however, no geographical location makes sense in the real world, especially as it is technically supposed to be in Finnish and Russian territory. As the region grew in economic importance, it also became a magnet for corruption and private military activity. Enter TerraGroup International, a bioengineering and agriscience conglomerate that established deep roots in the zone through its local subsidiary, TerraGroup Labs. Behind a veil of scientific advancement, TerraGroup was allegedly conducting illegal biological experiments on human test subjects. Their influence extended beyond Russia, with ties to American and British government figures.
To safeguard its operations, TerraGroup employed USEC (United Security), a Western-based private military company formed in 1999 from a merger between SafeSea and KerniSec. Staffed primarily by American and British ex-military operatives, USEC had already seen action in Iraq and elsewhere before being contracted by TerraGroup in 2004. They brought with them western arms, tan baseball caps, and a reputation for doing the dirty work.
Opposing them was BEAR (Battle Encounter Assault Regiment), a Russian PMC in name, but widely understood to be an offshoot of the Russian military itself. Formed specifically to counteract TerraGroup’s activities and USEC’s presence, BEAR operatives were elite Russian soldiers and veterans from across Cyrillic-speaking countries. They carried high-end Russian arms, including modified AK-12s, and were allegedly active in conflicts around the globe, from Thailand to Kazakhstan.
The clash between these two groups erupted into open conflict in the late 2010s, sparking the brutal Contract Wars. According to lore, the war had been in the works long before USEC was even hired, suggesting deeper layers of conspiracy. USEC and BEAR weren’t the only players: UN peacekeepers operating under the banner of UNTAR (United Nations Tactical and Administrative Response) also entered the fray. Their mission was to safeguard civilians, though they quickly found themselves in the crossfire.
The Contract Wars and Hired Ops games depict this period of intense fighting: armed helicopters, mortars, armored vehicles, and high civilian casualties. While USEC focused on shielding TerraGroup’s activities, BEAR worked to uncover the company’s secrets. TerraGroup Labs, with its automated turrets and high-tech defenses, became a key objective for both sides.
The time has come to bring the Deep Dive to its conclusion. When we last left off, the Contract Wars had reached their peak, and tensions were nearing a breaking point. By the year 202X, the situation had spiraled to a critical level, compelling the Russian Armed Forces to step in. As the conflict escalated further, the United Nations responded by deploying a peacekeeping force under a mission known as UNTAR. Among those sent to the region was a United Nations Supply Officer named Tadeusz Pilsudski, a man whose role would grow significantly in the events to follow.
However, the situation quickly unraveled. The Russian Armed Forces, having made their presence known, began to withdraw, constructing walls around Tarkov and Norvinsk Cities in an attempt to isolate the area. Both PMC factions, once deeply entrenched, also pulled out of the region, but not before leaving behind over 80% of their forces. A handful of Russian troops remained, some choosing to stay of their own accord. UNTAR, too, was mostly pulled from the region, leaving only a few checkpoints manned by peacekeepers. The blue helmets quickly became targets, as civilians, growing desperate and distrustful, fired upon them, seeing the peacekeepers as nothing more than walking stashes of gear and barter goods.
As time marched on, a new breed of powerful figures began to emerge from the chaos. Traders, mercenaries, and crime lords alike capitalized on the lawlessness and disarray of the region, establishing sprawling networks of contacts, trading posts, and supply routes to further their wealth and influence. Men like the Dealmaker, Jaeger, the Kaban brothers, Kollontay, Ogryzok, Prapor, Sanitar, the Mechanic, and many others solidified their places as the dominant figures of the zone. These individuals, through cunning deals, brutal force, or sheer survival, carved out empires and became filthy rich in the process.
Inside the zone, a complex economy took shape with four major currencies in circulation: USD, Euro, Ruble, and GP. The first three are globally recognized currencies, while GP, once a token used by contractors during the Contract Wars, evolved into a currency used almost exclusively within the Tarkov Gladiator Arena. This new form of currency became central to the arena's bloodsport economy. Traders adapted to the region’s chaos, accepting a mix of payment types, some favoring hard currency, others preferring Bitcoin.
By 2026, many of the zone’s original power players had either vanished or died. Some slipped through the cracks and made international headlines. The rest became legends, their fates whispered around campfires and in half-burnt bunkers. The large, organized bandit groups that once ruled the wasteland fractured into smaller, more agile scavenger crews, usually just a handful of desperate survivors armed with little more than civilian-grade weapons and sheer grit. To the remaining PMCs, they became known simply as Scavs.
The region’s infrastructure deteriorated rapidly: roads cracked, walls crumbled, and vines overtook abandoned buildings. Food and water became more precious than gold, and the scavengers who remained learned to value every drop and crumb. Traders still operating inside the zone grew increasingly selective, often only accepting the three major currencies, USD, Euro, and Ruble.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the once-powerful bandit factions fell into disarray. Infighting tore them apart, giving rise to smaller groups of 3 to 8 scavengers who banded together for survival. These groups were weaker but more nimble, forming tight-knit units that functioned almost like families, scavenging what they could and avoiding larger threats when possible.
While 2028 itself doesn’t make for the best setting if you want to stay close to the original game lore, 2021–2024 is ideal. It's early in the zone's life, volatile, but not yet completely devastated. While playing as PMCs can be entertaining, I’ve found that campaigns starting with scavenger characters are far more compelling. Survival feels personal. Every round matters, every can of Tushonka tells a story, and every bullet hole is a poem. Welcome to Tarkov.
If you are interested in applying to play in my Escape from Tarkov/R.2028 game, apply here. For further information about the game and or the setting, you can contact me at "basedcosmo" on Discord, or shoot me a PM on the Steve Jackson Games forums under the username "fritzbc". The game will be a live game.
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