PUBG gets a progression system, a crate-only shotgun in new update
This week's PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds patch finally adds a progression system to the game, among other things.
Patch 4.3 (6GB) has gone live on the official PUBG PC servers, bringing an assortment of quality of life improvements and some new content. The big news today is the arrival of Survival Mastery, a companion system to Weapon Mastery.
Whereas Weapon Mastery tracks player performance with every weapon, Survival instead focuses on the many other actions PUBG players take during the round. Things such as healing, landing in hot/quiet spots, driving long distances, supporting teammates and generally staying alive are all being tracked.
Everything you do essentially earns you XP, which feeds into a new levelling system that goes up to 500, with BP rewards for reaching the different levels.
The post-match screen has seen some love alongside the new system, and it now lists more than just kills, and even tracks teammate performance in duo/squad games. PUBG Corp. added a player card-style screen, too - for some reason - that you get to customise with nameplates and emblems to represent yourself to others.
On the fresh content front, we have a new shotgun. The DBS is a double-barrel, pump-action bullpup available only in airdrops (for now). Its magazine can hold 14 12-gauge rounds, with an effective range of 100 meters. The DBS takes all kinds of sights, from red dot to 6x. Overall, shotguns have received another balance pass to make them more effective, without increasing their damage.
Update 4.3 comes with new tweaks to sound effects, reducing Red Zone noise, and re-balancing the audible ranges of footsteps. You'll also hear a few new sound effects when landing on different surfaces from a fall, and grabbing a ledge.
Enhancing PUBG's quality of life features even further is the ability to heal on the move without stopping, and clearer ammo counters and teammate tags. Read up on the full set of changes at the official site.
Anyone can now download the update on on PC. Console players will only have to wait roughly two weeks, thanks to a revised development schedule.