For a limited time, motorized combat in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is getting a major upgrade with the introduction of a controllable aircraft called the Motor Glider. Although player-controlled vehicles are standard fare in PUBG and a C-130 plane paradrops players onto the battleground at the beginning of each match, this marks the first time players are actually able to take the battle royale to the skies.
Conceptualized by Brendan Greene, creator of DayZ's Battle Royale mod, and developed/published by Bluehole Ginno Games (now known as PUBG Corporation), PUBG hit Steam's early access program in March of 2017 and quickly became a hit among the deathmatch crowd. Nearly three years later, PUBG is one of the best-selling games of all time with versions on the Xbox-One, PlayStation 4 and mobile platforms, in addition to the original PC game. And while Epic Games' Fortnite undoubtedly takes top honors in the battle royale genre, PUBG is hanging tough with its more serious approach to military simulation, massive variety of weapons and additions like the Motor Glider.
The Motor Glider made its in-game debut on December 19th following an announcement on the PUBG official site and will conclude its test run on December 22 at 11 PM PST. Players can access the plane via PUBG Labs, a space where developers introduce new game features and settings and collect player feedback following test runs. Like other vehicles, the glider spawns in random locations around the map. Once accessed, it offers room for a pilot and passenger, the latter of which can rain down bullets and/or throwable items (like molotovs) at unsuspecting enemies on the ground. The glider is exclusively available for squads in the Erangel and Miramar combat zones.
In terms of taking damage, only the glider's engine can be destroyed; the tires cannot be damaged and the wings take less damage compared to the body. So players will be able to glide into a landing even after their engine is disabled, as opposed to simply plummeting to their deaths.
Although the Motor Glider almost looks out of place in a game that's more geared for combat game vets who prefer PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds' gritty presentation to Fortnite's lighthearted approach or would rather camp out and snipe opposing players from the bushes than construct bunkers that have no basis in reality, the vehicle could be a welcome addition to the PUBG experience. Should it survive testing, it yields the potential to add a new element to the game's combat.
Source: PUBG Corporation