PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is a multiplayer shooter and was the pioneer of the new Battle Royale genre. Until now, you always had to pay for the title, as it is Buy2Play. However, this is set to change partially in January, as announced at the Game Awards.
When will PUBG go Free2Play? Almost 5 years after release, the Battle Royale is set to switch to a Free2Play model and become free to play on January 12.
Those who register in advance on the official website will receive a few cosmetic items, including a backpack and a T-shirt. There are also additional bonuses if you convince friends to register (via Steam).
Until January 12, however, PUBG will still cost 29.99 euros. This poses a bigger hurdle for new players. Comparable titles like Fortnite or Apex Legends have been available for free for years.
Will the game be completely free? No. While you can play the base game, Ranked Matches and Custom Games will still be behind a paywall, known as Battlegrounds Plus. You will soon be able to purchase a DLC to unlock these.
The DLC includes some cosmetic bonuses, access to the mentioned modes, and costs 13 dollars. So far, PUBG prices have been converted 1-to-1 into euros, which means the DLC will likely cost 13 euros.
You can watch the announcement about the switch to Free2Play here:
PUBG is the founder of Battle Royales and is one of the top games on Steam
What kind of game is PUBG? In PUBG, you fight alone or in teams. The last surviving player or the last team standing wins a match. You have many different weapon models available, which can also be found in real life. From pistols to shotguns to heavy sniper rifles, everything is included.
PUBG has a high demand for realistic graphics and weapon feel. This sets it apart from other games in the genre. Additionally, the game now offers 8 different maps, two of which were released this year.
In fact, the shooter pioneered the new Battle Royale genre with its model. It started in Early Access on March 23, 2017, and was the first shooter to let 100 players fight for survival against each other. Following PUBG were titles like Fortnite: Battle Royale and CoD: Warzone.
How is the shooter performing? PUBG is still one of the most played games on Steam in 2021. In the last 24 hours, it reached a peak of 333,090 players and landed in 3rd place on the Steam charts, only behind CS:GO and Dota 2 (via SteamDB).
However, the 1.5 million reviews on Steam are mixed and only 54% are positive. Criticism is directed at optimization issues, cheaters, and hackers, as well as the fact that it has been Buy2Play until now.
Also outside of PC, PUBG can be played on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Google Stadia. Additionally, there is a mobile version for the Battle Royale.
If you are now in the mood for a shooter in general or a Battle Royale in particular, you will find it in this list:
The 15 best multiplayer shooters 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC
