The 11.2 update for PlayerUnknown's BATTLEGROUNDS is live now, bringing with it a brand new season pass and fan-requested changes to the Erangel map. This marks a significant change to the venerable battle royale, which is still going strong since its release in 2017. This progress has not come without consequence, though; the low-end version of the multiplayer game, PUBG Lite, will be shutting down soon, on April 29th.
Despite the loss of PUBG Lite, however, it's clear that the PUBG Corporation has a keen eye for the future. The company shocked gamers back in December by revealing that the recently announced sci-fi horror game The Callisto Protocol will be set in the same universe as the battle royale. This isn't the only sci-fi venture the company is embarking on, either; in February, it unveiled PUBG: New State, a mobile-exclusive game set in the future of the original battle royale. Clearly the PUBG Corporation has its eyes on the future in more ways than one.
But today's update demonstrates that it hasn't forgotten about the game that got it where it is today, either. The 11.2 update introduces the Pajama Party survivor pass, a new initiative by the PUBG Corporation to roll out content passes that aren't tied to seasons, expanding the developers' options for variety and duration. As the name suggests, the Pajama Party pass includes cosmetics themed after a slumber party, and this incongruous style might anger fans who think the game is stepping too much on Fortnite's toes. In addition to the pajamas, the PUBG Corporation is rolling out changes to Erangel's Sosnovka Island bridges. These changes, requested by the community, open more options for crossing the bridge, which will hopefully be helpful for players trying to avoid hostile attention. Balance adjustments are also being applied to vehicular combat in an attempt to limit the power level of gunners in the passenger seat.
PUBG is often credited with the creation of the battle royale genre, or at least its rise to prominence. Even though it's now facing a considerable amount of competition from games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, it's still finding ways to thrive. PUBG Mobile reported a billion lifetime downloads in March, proving that there's still a considerable audience for the game.
The ancestral battle royale is clearly looking for ways to reinvent itself, from unexpected sci-fi spinoffs to a bizarre new immersive story featuring narration by Johnathan Frakes. This update proves that through all the surprising new twists and turns, the developers are still committed to making PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds the best title it can be. Hopefully that dedication perseveres well into whatever future the Corporation ends up envisioning.
Source: PUBG