PUBG: Battlegrounds, the battle royale shooter that brought about a massive explosion for the genre, has finally gone free-to-play. This means Xbox and PlayStation owners no longer need Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus to play online.
Of course, not everything is available for free. All players start with a Basic account and can upgrade to Battlegrounds Plus for $12.99. This provides access to Ranked Mode along with the ability to create custom matches, access the Career Medals tab, and receive a 100% Survival Mastery XP boost. You will also receive a commemorative Plus Transition hat, bandana and gloves along with 1,300 G-Coins.
PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold will no longer be needed after the move to free-to-play
PUBG has remained a premium game longer than I ever expected, mainly because the The battle royale landscape has matured, but in 2022, it’s finally transitioning to a free-to-play model. Announced last night at The Game Awards 2021, Krafton plans to make PUBG a free-to-play game on January 12, 2022, i.e. for PC and console versions.
PlayerUnknown has officially left PUBG Studios
Brendan Greene’s company PlayerUnknown Productions is planning a large-scale open-world game
Players who purchased the game before it went free-to-play will be upgraded to Battlegrounds Plus at no additional cost, and will also receive a set of costume skins including the “Tempered Legacy” corset, jacket, gloves, and pants battle”. and boots.
What makes PUBG so addictive?
Although PUBG is a game that seems harmless at first, there are specific design features of the game that can cause addiction and negative effects to some players.
- It’s competitive. PUBG’s biggest attraction is its immersive nature. Competing in a Battle Royale mode against 100 other players creates a rush and thrill to win. As you get close to winning, you want to try again, creating a “just one more game” mentality. The challenge and competition is a big reason why PUBG attracts gamers.
- It’s social. There is also team mode in the game where you can play with other players. You can make new friends and play with them in the team, working together to win. While playing with friends can be a benefit of the game, it also increases the amount of time you play, leading to negative consequences in other areas of your life.
- It has loot boxes. Loot boxes are standard in modern games and are a major reason players develop gambling problems. For example, a 15-year-old Indian gamer stole his father’s credit card to buy $700 worth of in-game loot.
- You can progress. Besides developing your skills to win more games, you also have levels within the game. With each growing level, you earn new rewards, encouraging new and existing players to keep playing and collect those rewards. The game appeals to experienced players differently than novice ones. “For example, PUBG mobile has chests with rich resources that land every cycle. It’s easy to pick up if it lands on flat ground, while it’s hard to pick up when it lands on the roof. Novice players lose it, while experienced players use roof-jumping strategies to get it.