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PUBG Karakin guide: The best places to drop and loot

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' latest map Karakin is the smallest and most competitive in the battle royale yet. Measuring just 2x2km, Karakin is every hot droppers dream, beating all of PUBG previous maps, Erangel, Miramar, Sanhok, and Vikendi, in size. Karakin features a small dusty terrain with wide open areas, underground bunkers, and hidden threats.

The map is built for close-quarters combat and has destructible walls, new bullet penetration mechanics, and new deadly weapons like sticky bombs. The size of the map means you're more likely to share your drop location with a few others, so arm yourself quickly and prepare to fight. Be aware of black zones though - they'll destroy your buildings and force you out into the open, where there's probably someone waiting for you.

So if you're dying a lot in Karakin or you're not sure where to start, here are some of the best places to drop to give yourself a better chance of that delicious chicken dinner.

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PUBG LABS: Zone tag

A whole new way to play PUBG is coming to LABS!

In Zone Tag, players will compete to gain and keep possession of a ball that spawns into the match. From this point on, the entire blue zone will center on the player holding the ball, bathing them in a pillar of light and following them until they are knocked and the ball is dropped. All players in that squad also benefit from an unlimited boost gauge! If not held by any player, the ball will seek an eligible target nearby or begin making its way towards Pochinki in the center of the map, dragging the Blue Zone with it until it is picked up again.

This mode is meant to be fast and furious, so land vehicles will spawn at every possible point on the map, are invulnerable to weapon damage and tire puncture, and provide players with unlimited ammunition while inside. Your gun will still have a capacity and require a reload when empty, but reloading it will not consume your ammo stockpile.

Once phase 6 of the game begins, the ball will disappear and the circle’s location will be set. From this point on, zone settings will be like any other match and squads will have to battle it out to be the last ones standing.

A few more quick notes on the rules; water, the small islands around Erangel, some generally inaccessible rooftops, and ferries are all no bueno. Entering one of these restricted areas will automatically detach the ball and players in these areas are not considered eligible targets for it to attach to. Players will also receive damage just by entering the water, so keep those boots dry as you plot out your route.

A detailed breakdown of the rules can also be found below. LABS: Zone Tag will be available from February 9th – 15th for PC and from February 23 – March 1st for Console. This is something pretty different for us, so drop in and let us know what you think! Get the ball, fend off your attackers, and set up your own end circle to finish off any who remain in Zone Tag!

The Ball

The Ball spawns on a random player at the start of the match.
The Ball drags the center of the circle along with it wherever it moves.
The Ball grants a special visual effect to the carrier.
All players in the carrier’s squad receive a full boost.

The player with the ball will be lit up by a pillar of light visible starting from 100m distance.
The Ball cannot be manually dropped or passed but will drop automatically if a player is knocked, killed, or enters a restricted area.
When not attached to a player, The Ball will slowly rise into the air for 5 seconds or until it is no longer blocked by a structure.
The Ball will then seek a new eligible target within 30m and begin to home in on them.
If no eligible target is found, The Ball will remain stationary for 15 seconds before it starts to move towards the center of the map.
A system message will appear for all players when The Ball is dropped or picked up.

The Circle

“The Ball” drags the center of the circle along with it wherever it moves.
There are still circle phases, which shrink the circle and increase damage.
At Phase 6, the Ball disappears and the center of the circle is locked until the end of the match.

Restricted Areas

Entering a Restricted Area will detach the ball and make players ineligible to receive it.
Restricted Areas include:
- Small islands off the mainland
- Inaccessible Rooftops and High Ground
- Ferries
- Water
  - Player who steps into water with a ball will receive damage and have the ball detached.

Vehicles

Land Vehicles will spawn at every possible spawn point on the map.
- Boats and the Motorglider will not spawn.
All vehicles are immune to weapon damage and cannot have their tires punctured.
- However, we cannot guarantee damages from crashing into objects!
- Spike traps are not spawned.
While inside a vehicle, reloading weapons will not deplete your ammo reserve.

Service schedule

Zone Tag will be available in LABS on both PC and Console during different times.
- PC: February 9th – February 15th
- Console: February 23rd – March 1st

Settings

Erangel- Sunny
TPP & Sqaud Only
Minimum number of players: 40(PC) / 32(Console)
Maximum number of players: 100 (PC/Console)
The ball has blocked all access from bots. No bots will be available in this mode.

Notes when playing in LABS

LABS games do not provide XP for gameplay rewards.
LABS gameplay will not be applied to Career.
LABS gameplay will not count for your Survivor Pass missions.

PUBG is testing out a weird new mode called Zone Tag

There's a new and experimental limited-time mode available in PUBG Labs right now called Zone Tag, and it's all about fighting for control of a glowing ball of energy. Zone tag is available on PC until February 15, so you'll want to hurry if you want to give it a try.

Zone Tag is built around a ball of energy that can be picked up and carried by any player. When you pick it up, you'll be bathed "in a pillar of light" that follows you around until you're knocked down and the ball is picked back up. The entire blue zone is centered on this ball, so whoever has it is always going to be in the very middle of the safe area on the map, which for Zone Tag is Erangel. This continues until phase six, at which point the ball disappears and the match proceeds as usual, with the remaining squads duking it out for the chicken dinner.

You may be wondering why anyone would want to pick this ball up at all - why not let someone else take the heat? Well, the squad that controls the ball gains unlimited boost gauge, which is a nice advantage to have when everyone within 100 metres knows exactly where you are.

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PUBG's Lunar New Year event kicks off today, with "exclusive" themed rewards

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds gets a new in-game event to celebrate the Lunar New Year starting today, which brings some new "exclusive" goodies to the battle royale game. Appropriately named the PUBG 2021 Lunar New Year Event, the festival lets you unlock a bunch of in-game items by completing gameplay and login goals while it's live.

The way the event works is by letting you earn 'Lucky Points' that you can use to claim various Lunar New Year-themed prizes. To get started, you have to connect up to the event by clicking on the relevant banner in-game if you're playing on our home platform (if you're on Steam or console, you can alternatively log into your PUBG account or create a new account). Then, you can choose to complete the daily tasks on offer to scoop up Lucky Points.

For example, you'll score some points by completing objectives like logging into the PUBG game lobby and hopping in during the Lunar New Year (February 10-14) and the weekend following (February 20-21).

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