Surprise runaway hit PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battle Ground) has announced that it’s adding a new map in an upcoming update. The new map, called “Erangel”, is in many ways the complete opposite of the “Miramar” map that players have been familiar with since the game’s inception. Erangel features a sparse desert setting as opposed to Miramar’s more forrested environment, but there’s still plenty of towns dotting the map where players can find loot and secure strategic vantage points against their competitors. According to the announcement new weapons and vehicles will also be included in the update.
The Erangel map appears to be designed to force PUBG veterans to rethink their favorite strategies. Thanks to the desert setting most of the map is devoid of trees or any other cover that players may be used to, thus encouraging players to seek out one of the numerous towns (featuring structures such as casinos, railyards, and construction sites). The towns also tend to feature unique tactical advantages. For instance, the town of “Valle del Mar” sports a bridge which the developers say is “the only direct route between mainland and the island.”
As for new items, it appears we’ll be getting a new weapon and two new vehicles. The weapon in question is the “Win94” rifle, which appears to be modeled after a classic Winchester. The two new vehicles are a humble pickup truck and the “Aquarail”, which appears to be some kind of small watercraft that looks almost like a wood-paneled jetski. There’s no word yet on any detailed specifications for the new items, although there has been confirmation that the Win94 and the pickup truck will be exclusive to the Erangel map (on the flip side, it has also been confirmed the Aquarail will be available on both maps).
PUBG came out of nowhere in March 2017 when Brendan Greene (known by his online handle “PlayerUnkown”) created a mod for ARMA 2, turning it in to a “Battle Royale” game. This unique style of gameplay drops a large group of online players (in PUBG’s case, 100) on to a large map, where they then scavenge for weapons and supplies and try to take out their opponents. The goal of the game is to be the last person (or last team) alive. Every few minutes the game shrinks the playable area, forcing players to abandon hiding places and confront their opponents head on until a winner is determined.
The game’s popularity has absolutely exploded, thanks in no small part to the staggering amount of Twitch streams showcasing the game as audiences cheer their favorite streamers on. Because of this, it’s entirely likely that PUBG or something like it may very well become the next hot e-Sport, following in the tradition of games like Overwatch and League of Legends. The game has long since abandoned its “mod” status and has become a full-fledged game in its own right, despite still technically being in Early Access. Official release is currently planned on PC for some time late 2017, and console ports are expected soon thereafter.
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