It looks like Krafton's decision to make PUBG PC a free-to-play model was well worth it, as the battle royale game has seen massive growth in recent days. The exponential growth was reported by the developers in a press release.
Released in 2017, Player's Unknown Battlegrounds was available on Steam as a paid version. The game's simple gameplay mechanics and unique aspects of the battle royale impressed the gaming enthusiasts so much that the game later made mobile versions which also impressed its audience. Where PUBG Mobile was free, the free version of PUBG PC was announced during The Game Awards 2021.
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The announcement of PUBG PC being free at The Game Awards 2021 has spread like wildfire as many players who became inactive after the emergence of other F2P battle royale games on PC such as Valorant returned on the platform once it could be downloaded for free. on Steam on January 12, 2022.
In its press release, Krafton informed that after a week of PUBG Battlegrounds transition, the game saw a 486% increase in new players, surpassing its player growth rate in 2017. Many new players have been seen on the platform, which enabled growth to increase at a higher rate (537%) in specific territories, such as Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Southeast Asia and South America.
PUBG PC has also become one of the highest ranked games on Steam as more and more gamers have started entering the unknown battlegrounds. Krafton ensured a smooth transition by adding several futuristic in-game elements such as drones, tactical gears to stay on par with other contemporary battle royale games.
To celebrate recent milestones and recent F2P transition, Krafton will be hosting various events such as "Check-In Dinner Event" to reward its most active players. Any player who plays the game for at least one hour between 4:00 p.m. PST on January 27 and 3:59 p.m. PST on January 30 will receive special rewards for each day they “log in.” Players can click here to view more details.
Overall, PUBG PC has been able to redefine the battle royale genre due to the developer's efforts to launch frequent updates and add fun and realistic elements to the game. So far, the game has been able to sell out at 75 million copies on PC and consoles, making it one of the best-selling games of all time. PUBG Esports is also flourishing in different countries, so players are waiting for the first tournaments after the F2P transition.
