With a new blue zone, PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) aims to move its campers. This feature has already been tested.
What’s new? In tests, PUBG has now added a second blue zone within the existing circle. This second zone lies within the safe zone and serves as an indication of where the next safe zone will form.
The special thing about it is that this inner blue zone also inflicts damage if you stay there.
What does it look like? Until this morning, December 9, players could try matches with the additional blue zone in the PUBG Labs. The developers shared a picture in the blog post showing how the map will look with this feature.
The picture shows the safe zone as a larger circle and the new second blue zone as a smaller circle. It also indicates where the next safe zone will form.
Additionally, the developers set a few rules on how the new feature worked on the test servers.
- The inner blue zone appears within the safe zone, except in the last phase
- It appears at the beginning of the match
- The inner blue zone has the same size and position as the next safe zone
- Damage taken in the inner blue zone is the same as in the next blue zone
PUBG changes the established battle royale format
Why is this happening? The developers want to increase movement in the game and actively counter campers with this change. “Landing in the circle, looting, and camping for the rest of the match – that’s over now,” PUBG writes in the blog.
“Circle campers who felt safe when not engaging enemies will now be forced to stay in motion, as we have added a second blue zone to the existing circle. The new ‘inner circle’ will prevent camping and indicate where the next circle will form.”
The developers also provide two examples that are now changed by the new blue zone.
- Before this change, players did not know where the next circle would form. Everyone had the chance to be randomly well positioned and could wait there.
- Due to the surprising announcement of the next circle, some players faced disadvantages in the game because they were so poorly positioned that they had to keep running.
For players like this bathtub camper in PUBG, this could be bad news.
What players criticize: After the announcement, there was a lot of criticism. Reddit user yupthatsathing writes: “This is the worst idea I’ve heard since I started playing in Early Access. Camping is not a real problem. I don’t understand why people think that for some reason. […] Play Call of Duty if you want faster gunplay. Play another game.”
Another user writes: What makes the game is being in the circle. Holding a position in the zone is not camping.
Reddit user Zagdrob tries to see the positive in this:
“I’m not particularly excited about this now. Getting a good position and making good rotations is an important part of the game. Having a forbidden zone that encompasses a large part of the safe zone sounds like a strange decision.
Moreover, a blue zone could appear right above you once you’ve chosen a position in the circle. This would force you to run or take a lot of damage. It doesn’t seem like there’s any warning or way to avoid that. […]
I suppose that experimenting with strange things like this is the whole point behind [PUBG] Labs. […] I don’t think this is a winner, but I’ll give it a fair chance.”
How do you feel about this change? Do you think it could enrich PUBG if implemented?
