It seems like a long time coming, but 4 years afterPUBG: Battlegroundstook the world by storm and kickstarted the new battle royale craze, the game is going free-to-play.
The announcement was revealed during The Game Awards 2021. The free-to-play model will reward players that have stuck with the game over the years while also offering unique rewards to entice new players. There will be a short window for the last set of players that want to purchase the game to do so before it will be removed from store markets. There also will be considerable downtime before the game makes its free-to-play transition.
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PUBG: Battlegroundswill go free-to-play on July 16, 2025. When that happens, a BATTLEGROUNDS Plus mode will become available for purchase. BATTLEGROUNDS Plus will be a one-time $12.99 purchase that will unlock ranked mode, the career and medal tab, +100% Survival Mastery Boost, Custom Match mode, and a host of other cosmetic items exclusive to BATTLEGROUNDS Plus.PUBG: Battlegroundswill end sales on January 10th, 2022.
Legacy players on all platforms will automatically earn the “Special Commemorative Pack” once the free-to-play conversion happens. These players will just have to have purchased the game by January 10th, 2022 to earn these items. The method of earning the items varies slightly depending on the platform, but all eligible players will receive them automatically. Also, players that purchasedPUBG: Battlegroundsin the past will get a BATTLEGROUNDS Plus upgrade for free. For Xbox and PlayStation users, Xbox Live andPlayStation Plus will no longer be requiredfor online multiplayer once the free-to-play transition occurs.
PUBGhas gone through a lot over the years, most notably the departure of the game’s former namesake PlayerUnknown and the subsequent parallel shiftingrebrand toPUBG Battlegrounds. The game has seen new maps and game updates and thePUBGuniverse has begun an expansion into other games and TV properties.
PUBG: Battlegroundswas a foundational game for the popularization of the battle royale game type. But it’s undeniable that its paid entry barrier has stunted some of its growth. Battle Royale games that sprung up after it likeFortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, andApex Legendsare thriving under the free-to-play model.PUBG: Mobilehas become massively successfuland shows that the game does need its own free-to-play state on PC and consoles.
PUBG Battlegroundsis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Stadia, and mobile devices.
