Will I Have to Buy Pubg Again
Why PUBG: Battlegrounds is going free-to-play
PUBG will go free-to-play on all platforms from January 12, 2022. That decision reflects how the world has shifted around the trailblazing first-person shooter – the game that transformed the battle royale from DayZ mod to global phenomenon. Information technology'south been almost five years since PlayerUnknown'southward Battlegrounds entered early access and at that place's been no shortage of rivals since. Something had to change if PUBG was to stay competitive.
"Nosotros came to the decision to make PUBG: Battlegrounds free-to-play considering we experience that it is truly the right time," says creative manager Dave Curd. "I know in that location are a lot of people who are interested in PUBG: Battleground merely have never gotten effectually to playing it for diverse reasons – now is the perfect moment to become started."
PUBG goes F2P
Because PUBG has been a premium title since its launch in 2017, it'due south perhaps piece of cake to overlook how content-rich it has become, particularly against other boxing royales. When Curd assures me that PUBG "is the best information technology has ever been", he's pointing to its 8 unique maps and deep weapon mechanics as evidence. The onetime ensures PUBG can continue to support a various range of play-styles, and the latter is a skill-ceiling that rewards patience and purposeful shot placement.
Putting PUBG's legacy aside, it'south difficult to argue with the exclamation that Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Fortnite accept now become synonymous with the battle royale genre. These free-to-play games are the bedrock of multiplayer shooters in the modern era, boasting constantly shifting metas and updating storefronts to go along their massive actor-bases active and engaged.
From the outside looking in, it'south piece of cake to imagine that the decision to strip PUBG of its $30 price tag is a response to the success EA, Activision, and Epic Games has seen in this space, though PUBG Corp is quick to push back against that adding. "This is in no way a response to the other titles you've mentioned. They're all great games which specialise in their own unique strengths, just every bit nosotros practice. We develop our game independently of others and are excited to meet what is to come up," says Curd.
PUBG Corp sees the decision to go costless-to-play with PUBG: Battlegrounds equally more than an opportunity to "open up it up for every bit many people equally possible." The studio sees this as a take a chance to introduce new featuresets, make renewed commitments to the customs, and grow the franchise even further before games set in the wider PUBG universe – such equally The Callisto Protocol – launch later on this twelvemonth.
"It has absolutely opened upwardly opportunities," Curd adds. "Nosotros tin can invite more people to the party and that means we'll run across developments that we may not take witnessed with the previous pay-to-play model. In terms of developing and evolving, we volition go on to do what we've e'er done: innovate, create new experiences, and grow the PUBG universe."
When major alterations are made to established games, it's natural for entrenched communities to fearfulness change. Curd is quick to affirm that "despite the transition, the cadre game is however the core game", adding that PUBG Corp sees this as an "opportunity to proceed to evolve" the central Battlegrounds experience. The creative manager points to the addition of new gameplay features, and the introduction of Tactical Gear, action queuing, and a revamped tutorial system as examples of what this evolution will look like in the brusque term.
Curd says that going gratuitous-to-play "is going to grow our community, which is ever a positive thing. We are set up to welcome new players with open arms and help them hit the ground running. Nosotros've developed amazing tutorials for newbies and will take a make new shooting gallery, which I call back is going to be a big hit."
A natural customs concern is the stability of servers, and whether they will withstand the influx of new players. Curd says "the health of our servers won't be impacted" by the switch into free-to-play, adding, "as ever, we will be monitoring and updating them regularly when we demand to." Given that PUBG: Battlegrounds has sold more than 75 one thousand thousand copies across PC and console to date, making it 1 of the acknowledged games of all time, yous take to hope that it'll be able to withstand the pressure.
"Nosotros call up it is only fair to give a little extra to fans who have purchased PUBG: Battlegrounds earlier we transitioned to free-to-play"
Dave Curd, creative director
It's worth remembering that PUBG Corp has tested extensively for this inevitably. In Baronial 2021, PUBG: Battlegrounds had a week of costless play; it was rumored at the time that this was a test run for a permanent complimentary-to-play offer, which we now know was the instance. "We saw a lot of success and an influx of new players when we held 'Costless Play Week' last year, and nosotros tapped into their experiences to help inform the direction we'd ultimately take when transitioning to a free to play model. While a lot of the new updates take been cooking for some time," says Curd, pointing to tactical gear and action queuing, which have long been in development. "The sentiment and feedback we saw during the 'Free Play Week' only bolstered our conclusion to make a permanent transition to free-to-play."
There are still questions surrounding Zakynthos, PUBG Corp'southward proprietary anti-cheat solution. The studio recently explained that, during the Baronial Gratis Play Week, the "ratio of suspected cheaters spiked after the event started, but eventually recovered and settled in line with the numbers we had before the event." That's a promising sign. Cheaters remain a blight on the free-to-play games market, and 1 of PUBG'due south biggest challenges won't exist satiating a new actor base of operations, only ensuring that the scales remain balanced. "The battle with cheaters continues as PUBG: Battlegrounds enters the free-to-play world," the anti-crook team continues, "only we are dedicated and doing all we tin to ensure that yous not only hear virtually, simply feel the effects of our anti-cheat solutions for yourselves."
A new showtime
PUBG: Battlegrounds is at present free-to-play on all platforms, perhaps its most significant change since the battle royale entered Steam Early Access dorsum in March 2017. Every bit a cheers to all survivors who braved Erangel, and the maps that launched since, PUBG Corp has designed a commemorative pack as a cheers. It contains a handful of unique cosmetics and free access to Battlegrounds Plus.
"Nosotros think it is only fair to give a little actress to fans who take purchased PUBG: Battlegrounds before we transitioned to free-to-play. All those who have already bought our game receive a Commemorative Pack which includes a gratis Battlegrounds Plus upgrade where they tin can savor ranked manner, create custom matches, and collect in-game skins and G-Coin – also as other benefits," says Curd, noting that new players will demand to pay $12.99 to get access to Battlegrounds Plus.
I'm keen to run across how PUBG: Battlegrounds weathers an influx of new players. As competitive every bit Apex Legends, Phone call of Duty: Warzone, and Fortnite tin be, they are far more forgiving than PUBG. The battle royale leans further into realism than its competition, forcing tactical thinking and conscientious move, should you want to exist the last player standing. With its tense shootouts, heavier gunplay, and varied maps, PUBG however offers a nice contrast with what we're seeing elsewhere in the genre. And, equally Curd says, this is merely the beginning. "This is the natural next step and a great mode to introduce more players to our universe."
GamesRadar+ is diving deep into biggest games of the twelvemonth in January with exclusive interviews, hands-on impressions, and in-depth editorials. To check out all of our coverage so far, be certain to follow Big in 2022 .
Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/pubg-free-to-play-interview/
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