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Fix PUBG may be about squishing a load of bugs, but it’s also brought with it some of the most requested features and lots of other improvements to the game – we break it down.
Fix PUBG has promised a lot. We all know that Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds isn’t the most reliable of games technically, and we've come to accept that we're still going to crash mid-game every now and then. But the Fix PUBG campaign has aims to stop that from happening and tidy up all of the other technical bugs and issues plaguing the game.
Many assumed that this would mean a slowdown in new features and content, with the devs putting all their effort into squashing some bugs. But just a few weeks into Fix PUBG, we already have a few major new features which have been requested pretty much since day one.
A new training mode has been added with a new map that's designed to help you practise all of the skills you'll need in a real match, from shooting targets to mastering your driving and even landing the perfect grenade. Then there’s the new ranking system, which will allow you once and for all to show just how good you are at PUBG. And we finally have individual map selection back. Rejoice!
If you were all PUBG-ed out after the massive Global Invitational a few months ago and have only dipped in to grab a chicken dinner occasionally since, this is a great time to come back and restart your PUBG career.
Here are the big new additions you need to know about from PUBG Corporation.
Master your skills in Training Mode
PUBG’s new training mode is arguably the most exciting addition to the game. After months of only being able to practise your weapon skills in the few fights you'll get into each match, you can now spray around to your heart's content, learning exactly how the recoil feels with every possible attachment combo and making sure you stay locked on target. There are multiple weapon ranges on the training island, ranging from close-up target practice to a massive 800m shooting range that will let you hone those cross-map sniper shots.
Perfecting your weapon accuracy is clearly the most useful area of the training island. With every weapon and attachment combo freely available with more ammo than you could ever use, you can spend hours working on that spray pattern or learning the exact bullet drop. You might only pick up a silenced 8X AWM once every 150 games, and the first few times you will probably miss more than a few shots thanks to bullet drop. But now you can head over to the shooting ranges with that exact combo and master it in moments.
There’s also the chance to master your grenade throws so you don’t end up throwing one a few inches too high only for it to bounce back and damages you. You can even try and perfect you melee kills, which should stop those embarrassing moments where you sneak up with a frying pan before your foe spins around and headshots you.
When it comes to top-level play, the training mode will be a big deal. With PUBG’s somewhat random recoil path selection, pro players will never quite get to CS:GO levels where they can control exactly where every bullet will go every time. But spending a few hours playing around with this will surely allow the top players to get even better than they already are.
For us average joes, there are also a few other interesting possibilities. The parachute range allows you to practise your drops onto the island and hone that difficult landing time. Despite this being something you do every game, we still manage to mess it up occasionally, missing that crucial rooftop by inches and being left on the streets of a very busy Pochinki.
There’s also a chance to get some quality time with some vehicles, although with the exclusion of the three wheeled bike – which no one will ever be able to use safely – it feels like you can learn how to use these well in normal games. What you can’t do in a regular game, however, is take advantage of the sick stunt ramps that litter the training island and race track. Less useful, and more of a fun aside.
If you use your time in training mode well, then you’ll become a much better player. Weapon recoil is a big deal, and at the higher levels, controlling it is often the difference between a chicken dinner or instant doom. Don’t dismiss this as a distraction.
Test your prowess in Ranked Mode
Another hotly requested feature is the addition of ranks in PUBG, giving players a way to brag about their skill outside of the leaderboards, which can be unreliable at best. Set to launch properly in the coming weeks, the ranked system in PUBG will assign you one of eight ranks based on your skill in game. The more you improve, the higher your rank will go up, but if you get worse, or just have a really long period of bad luck, your rank will most likely drop.
The ranks start with bronze at the lowest level, before ascending through silver, gold, platinum, diamond, elite, master and grand master. Only the very best in the world will be able to reach that top grand master level, so don’t be disappointed if you are sat in gold – that’s still a solid rank.
There’s no word on if this system will ever be used for matchmaking to make sure you only play with players of your rank, as seen with other games. But with so many players required for each game, and people being accustomed to wait times of just seconds, it seems a little unlikely that such strict rules would be implemented.
A whole host of quality of life tweaks
That isn’t all that the new Fix PUBG campaign has brought our way, or is coming soon. Map selection is back, which presumably means Miramar player numbers are about to fall off a cliff as people stick to Erangel only. A new UI option has also been added, which will allow you to use a selection wheel to pick what item you want to pull out instead of scrolling through everything or messing with the inventory and hotkeys. A new skin trade up system has also been added, and will allow you to get rid of those skins you will never use, giving you a chance to grab something good in return – you’re always wanting some fresh threads, right?
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