Today marks an auspicious date in the lifespan of battle royale shooter PUBG. After its early access release in 2017 and a variety of updates and changes, the game is going free-to-play with the latest update.
This news is not a shock for regulars of the shooter, of course. The devs made the announcement in December and posted patch notes and maintenance details last week, outlining updates like bug fixes, the addition of drone tactical gear, and the launch of a Battleground Plus account option that grants a boost to survival mastery, the ability to create custom matches, and access to ranked mode. Those who have already bought in to PUBG before today will also be getting a special commemorative pack.
Depending on where you look, this F2P transition is either the beginning of the end for PUBG or a shot in the shooter’s arm: Steam users have already begun writing negative reviews decrying the move and the perceived upcoming flood of cheaters, while one of the game’s subreddits seeks to embrace new players with tips and guides. On the subject of cheating, a dev letter from December talks up the proprietary anti-cheat program known as Zakynthos that the devs implemented in January 2021, with charts that showcase the program’s progress and plans for future updates to the tech.
