After years of speculation and consideration, PUBG: Battlegrounds is going free-to-play permanently next year. The announcement came as part of a new trailer at The Game Awards on Thursday night, which pegged January 12 as the date when the classic battle royale switches over.
This new model will allow anyone to enjoy the classic PUBG experience via casual quick-match, but there are some limitations. Free-to-play users can't participate in ranked matches and can't create custom games. In order to have full functionality, players will have to buy the new Battleground Plus premium account: a one-time purchase that allows access to anything locked off in the free version and comes with some extra currency and cosmetics, as well as a one hundred percent XP boost. It's entirely optional though, as nothing contained in the purchase is necessary to continue enjoying the meat of the game.
Fortunately for those who've already bought PUBG, Battleground Plus will be automatically unlocked along with a few legacy rewards for supporting the game. Legacy players will automatically receive the Battle Hardened cosmetics along with a nameplate and a special pan. To celebrate the change in model, Krafton has opened a pre-registration site welcoming players to try out the new version of the game, and participate in events that involve inviting friends and taking a PUBG playstyle quiz for some free in-game loot.
Despite being overtaken by Fortnite, PUBG still holds a strong standing in the gaming market as the progenitor of the battle royale craze. The one thing much of its competition had over it was the price tag, and now that barrier to entry is finally coming down. It's an unsurprising move given the rumors surrounding an eventual switch, the free trial periods that were believed to be testing the waters for such a change, and the continued success of the battle royale genre.
PUBG goes free to play on all platforms on January 12. Check out the official announcement trailer below: