PUBG: Battlegrounds Switches to Free-to-Play Model, Adds Tactical Gear, Action Queue With 15.2 Update

PUBG: Battlegrounds has switched to a free-to-play model and is available to all gamers for free on PC and consoles, publisher Krafton announced on Wednesday. Krafton, also the publisher of the popular mobile battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India, has introduced a one-time, non-recurring Battlegrounds Plus premium account upgrade alongside. The premium upgrade comes with benefits like additional G-Coin, a 100 percent boost for Survival Mastery XP, special in-game items, and custom match functionality with access to the Ranked game mode.

Krafton had first announced the decision to move PUBG: Battlegrounds to a free-to-play model on December 9 at The Game Awards 2021, planned for January 12. The game has sold over 75 million copies since it was launched in 2017 — it was previously priced at Rs. 999 in India and is now available to download for free on Steam. The game is also available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. However, gamers who want to access additional in-game rewards, along with Ranked and custom match modes will have to pay for a $12.99 (roughly Rs. 960) premium account upgrade.

Gamers who purchase the Battlegrounds Plus premium account upgrade will gain access to an additional 1,300 G-Coin, along with a 100 percent boost in Survival XP. Gamers who upgrade their accounts will also be able to access the Medal tab in career mode, and will have access to Ranked mode and Custom match functionality. The Battlegrounds Plus upgrade also grants access to in-game items like the Captain's Camo set.

Gamers who have purchased PUBG: Battlegrounds will receive a PUBG - Special Commemorative pack that automatically upgrades them to Battlegrounds Plus, while also granting them a Battle-Hardened costume skin set, the Shackle and Shanks Legacy Pan and the Battle-Hardened Legacy nameplate, according to Krafton.

Krafton also revealed that it has rolled out PUBG: Battlegrounds Update 15.2, which brings new Tactical Gear to scout remote locations with drones and EMT Gear. The update also improves communication with Screen Ping Markers, as well as in-game fluidity with a new Action Queue feature that allows gamers to queue up actions like reloading after firing a weapon. The update to version 15.2 also brings revamped tutorials with a basic training mode, AI training match and Lobby Tutorial Missions, according to Krafton.