Leaker PlayerIGN claims that the company behind PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds plans to make the game free-to-play following a week-long trial in August. PUBG Studios already published a free version of the game for iOS, Android, and lower-res PCs in 2019, PUBG LITE, but this was discontinued months ago.
An average of well over a hundred thousand people still play PUBG each month, but competition from the likes of Fortnite, Call Of Duty: Warzone and other battle-royale shooters has eroded PUBG's player base over time. One of the driving appeals of these new titles is how they are free-to-play, whereas PUBG still costs $30 on Steam. Beyond the price gap, modern reviews of the game frequently cite hackers as an ongoing problem for enjoyment. Some have also argued PUBG's rank system needs more balance, as it often pits inexperienced players against veterans who have played the game for years.
GamesRadar reported on the tweet from PlayerIGN yesterday, though PUBG Studios has given no official confirmation about making PUBG free. The leaker's tweet mentions that the PUBG team originally intended to transition to a free-to-play model as far back as 2019, but opted against the decision after analyzing feedback from players. PlayerIGN implies that the free trial week in August will serve as a period to gauge fan support once again for a free-to-play model. The team regularly updates PUBG with new content and patches, and they also actively post on the PUBG website, so fans may hear news on this topic soon.
PUBG recently released a patch detailing new additions to gameplay. Highlights of update 13.1 include a tweak to the number of Care Packages that drop during the battle, leaving the players to fight over an assortment of gear and weapons. In addition to the Standard Care Package, between five and 15 smaller packages may drop over the course of the battle. Taego, the newest map added to PUBG, also has a new secret room players can access by collecting hidden keys throughout the level.
PUBG's emergency landing plane also now catches fire as it descends to a crash-landing. While faster at delivering players to the battlefield, this also means a narrower window for choosing when to jump. However, players who jump sooner during the flight may travel farther, and the opposite holds true for jumping later. Not jumping at all will lead to substantial damage.
PUBG LITE, the original free version built to perform well on lower-quality hardware, garnered mostly positive reviews from fans and critics before the PUBG company shut it down in late April. Still, making PlayerUnknown's Battleground free-to-play can only help the game find more equal footing with its competition. For fans of battle-royale shooters who have not yet played PUBG, taking away the $30 price tag eliminates a significant barrier of entry.
Source: PlayerIGN/Twitter