PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will receive many new features in 2024, including user-created content, destructible environments, collaborations with other IPs, and even an upgrade from Unreal Engine 4 to 5.
On March 11, the developer behind PUBG revealed a roadmap for 2024 and talked about the game’s future.
PUBG runs on Unreal Engine 4 at the time of writing, and by shifting to Unreal Engine 5, it will get a graphical update and a more modern look. The move will likely increase the game’s minimum requirements on PC, making it unplayable for those on low-end machines—but console players won’t need to worry about the shift and can just enjoy the new visuals.
The developer also mentioned that user-created content is coming to PUBG. While they were light on the specifics, it looks like players will soon be able to create custom maps and maybe even new game modes. Perhaps PUBG is trying to take a leaf out of Fortnite’s book by making the game more appealing to players who don’t necessarily enjoy a traditional battle royale experience.
“In 2024, instead of simply making the game easier or newer, we are determined to make content that offers players diverse ways of having fun with the game,” production director Taehyun Kim said, alongside a video clip showing a new outdoor event using assets from the game.
On top of this, when the developer spoke about destructible environments, he specifically mentioned creating cover and destroying terrain. There was also a brief clip showing a player digging a hole in the ground using a pickaxe. According to the developer, these destructible environments will open up new possibilities in PUBG.
PUBG first launched in 2017 as a $30 game, only to be overshadowed by Fortnite Battle Royale, which was free-to-play. In January 2022, PUBG became free-to-play and gained a significant increase in its player count. Even though the game is still lagging behind Epic Games’s battle royale phenomenon, PUBG is still one of the most popular games on Steam. It will be interesting to see whether the updates improve or hinder the PUBG experience in 2024.