PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS News

PUBG's free-to-play update adds tactical gear and refreshed training modes

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - PUBG: Battlegrounds, if you're fancy - is going free-to-play next week with oodles of new and reworked features. Alongside two new in-game tutorials and improved training modes, you're getting new tactical items to change the way you play.

The tactical gear will take up your primary weapon slot, which Krafton hopes will lead to more creative long-term strategies from players. You can use a drone to scout ahead and pick up items without facing direct combat, though other players can shoot it down. If you recall your flying gizmo, it'll auto-pilot towards your position in a straight line unless you fancy piloting it yourself.

You can also loot the new EMT gear from crates if you fancy taking up the role of a healer on your team. The tactical gear comes with myriad passive buffs that'll let you heal or revive a teammate in three seconds. Bandages and first aid kits will also heal players to maximum health. Two stacks of bandages will spawn alongside EMT gear, though you can use your ally's healing items when lending them a hand.

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PC & Console Patch Notes - Update 15.2

[h2]Free to Play Transition [/h2]

Hello, Survivors. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS has advanced through various platforms to share its unique Battle Royale experience with a broader audience. Now with our free-to-play transition, we want to further expand our community, provide faster matchmaking, and the opportunity to meet more opponents. After the transition free-to-play, BATTLEGROUNDS Plus account is added and all players who have owned and played PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS before the free-to-play service transition will automatically receive the PUBG – SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE PACK.

We look forward to sharing our unique Battle Royale experience with more survivors. For details on the free play service transition, please check the Free-to-Play Announcement.

[h2]Live Maintenance Schedule [/h2]
Please note that the maintenance time may take longer than usual, as we will be updating each platform’s store and distributing rewards to our existing players. The Test Server will close along with the Live Server Maintenance. Due to the transition to free-to-play, the 15.2 Live Server will go under maintenance at the same time on both PC and Console.

Free-to-play Service Transition: After the live server maintenance on January 12, 2022.
Server Maintenance Schedule
- PST: January 10, 2022 10 AM – Until maintenance end on January 12, 2022 (TBD)
- CET: January 10, 2022 7 PM – Until maintenance end on January 12, 2022
- KST: January 11, 2022 3 AM – Until maintenance end on January 12, 2022

[h2]15.2 Highlights[/h2]
To be updated with the Live Server update.

※ Please keep in mind that the features and updates we provide below may be modified or even possibly removed due to reasons such as bugs, in-game issues, and/or community feedback. We will update our players if such changes occur.

Gameplay Updates

[h2]New Feature: Tactical Gear [/h2]

We’ve decided to introduce a whole new category of tactical items, Tactical Gear, that strays from pure gunplay to provide our players various options for improving their in-game performances.

As Tactical Gear will be taking up players’ primary weapon slots, we hope this will allow players to come up with more creative long-term strategies.

Tactical Gear: Drone

The Drone is a Tactical Gear that allows players to scout a far distance safely and even pick up an item without facing the risk of direct combat.

A Fond Farewell to 2021

Hello Survivors,

As the days tick down towards 2022, we want to take a quick moment to thank you for an amazing and productive year.

2021 saw many changes to the Battlegrounds, including the following:

We released Taego, a brand new 8×8 Battleground with a Korean theme.
Introduced new LABS modes, including the return of Fantasy Battle Royale and Zombie Mode.
Hosted several global events and tournaments, giving out millions in cash prizes.
Added several new weapons, vehicles, utility items, etc to diversify your drops.

And so much more.

But the New Year is a time to look forward. As you may have seen, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is going Free-to-play on January 12th! Now anybody can experience the thrills and chaos of the Battlegrounds alongside our dedicated, longtime fans. So squad up, make your new year’s resolution to eat more chicken with your pals, and start the new year off with a bang!

Thank you as always for your continued love and support and we’ll see you on the Battlegrounds in 2022!

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Team

PUBG Esports 2022

Hello, PUBG Esports fans.

2021 started off with a bang, with the first LAN since the pandemic - the PGI.S, Two PUBG Continental Series, and the PUBG Global Championship 2021.

Overall, a total of 90 teams from all over the globe challenged for the road to the championship, and a total of $15,000,000 worth of prize money has been granted, including $7,000,000 dollars contributed by the fans via crowdfunding.

The crowned champion of PGC 2021 will be awarded not only with a total of $1.4 million prize money, honor of the world's best PUBG esports team, but also a special championship skin to commemorate the victory.

PUBG Esports will continue to develop in the upcoming 2022 with global teams and players in order to provide PUBG Esports' unique entertainment.

2022 PUBG ESPORTS

Building on 2021, PUBG Esports plans to host a total of four global tournaments in 2022.

PUBG Continental Series

PCS will be back again in 2022!

2022 will feature PCS6 in April and PCS7 in September. Just like in 2020 & 2021, each region will host their own online regional championship with PGC points on the line.

Return of PUBG Nations Cup

After a two year hiatus, players will be playing for national bragging rights as PUBG Nations Cup will make its return in June. This unique format has proven to be a favorite (both for fans and us!) and has created some of the most thrilling moments in PUBG Esports history. We’ll be back to you all soon with more details.

PGC and 2022 Champions!

We’ll cap off 2022 just like we did in 2021 - crowning the best PUBG team in the world at the PUBG Global Championship! Will this year's winner repeat as Champions or will a new team come out of the woodwork to take the title!

Regional Third Party

Regional teams will continue to develop their ecosystems with third party and grassroots events throughout the year.

Thank you!

As we approach another year of PUBG Esports, we need to say a special thank you to all our fans who have supported us throughout another tough year of the global pandemic.

Look out for information on the regional schedules and even more details on the global events early next year.

Have a safe holiday!

PUBG Esports team

PUBG gets a festive Mario Kart-like mode for the holidays

While PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' festive collaboration event with Kakao kicked off earlier this month, the winter fun isn't stopping there. Krafton is testing a winter-themed racing mode on the battle royale game's test server, LABS.

The suitably titled Winter Race mode puts you and several others on one of Vikendi's five race tracks. You can select the Motorbike, Pickup, Coupe RB, Quad, or Zima as your vehicle, with each one providing its own weapon and set of equipment. You'll need to drive through checkpoints as you reach the finish line, so don't wander off the track for too long.

While some of the fun in PUBG's racing mode comes from shooting someone off their vehicle, you won't be able to do so until ten seconds into the race. If you spawn in after being eliminated, you'll be invulnerable for five seconds. You'll also stumble across plenty of crates during your race. Some are typical ammo drops, though others give you new weapons for your ride and speed boosts - no blue shells, though, as far as we can see.

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