By Christopher Groux
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PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds took the world by storm in 2017, and with 2018 coming to a close, the game's developers at PUBG Corporation are just getting started. Hot off the heels of a PS4 platform launch and new map release, Newsweek spoke with Team Lead and Art Director Dave Curd to address fans' burning questions about crossplay, Vikendi and strategies to earn that elusive Chicken Dinner.
Bringing PUBG to New Players
An avid console gamer in his off-time, Curd was extremely excited to bring one of the world's most popular games to PlayStation 4. Taking lessons learned from the title's 2017 Game Preview launch on Xbox, the global team knew exactly which features to emphasize.
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"The big things we focus on are making sure it feels as good with a controller as it can with a mouse and keyboard and making sure the UI/UX experience is really smooth, clear and understandable," Curd said. "We want to make sure that anyone can sit down, pick it up, jump into a game and immediately understand what's happening."
Having a game that feels great to play is an essential part of any development process, but Curd was also aware the multiplayer battle royale genre has become increasingly competitive on console. PUBG may have been among the first to the party with its $30 early access fee on Steam, but, since then, free alternatives like Fortnite have amassed massive audiences on PS4 in particular. Still, Curd remained confident PUBG's watercooler quality would further its success.
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"What really stands out to me is when I ask people how they got their first Chicken Dinner, almost everyone can remember how many kills, if there was a clutch revive, if they were downed or found armor at a critical point... It's the variety of player stories and the sheer unforgiving challenge of it that makes winning feel unlike the experience you get with any other game," he said.
But, of course, many who are just starting on PS4 won't be vying for that moment of glory straight away. From Curd's perspective, the quickest way to get good at PUBG is by playing aggressively.
"I like the strategy of dropping in the busiest areas, like School, and getting into lots of gunfights," he mused. "Do a lot of hot drops at the beginning to get used to combat and getting killed."
Once you pass that hurdle, he says, the choice is yours to figure out how and when you want to engage. "That diversity is one of the coolest things about the game," said Curd. "We've had plenty of people win with no kills, we've had people win by looting the dead... There are a million ways to play."
The Crossplay Quagmire
Despite PUBG being available on most platforms, PC, Xbox One, PS4 and mobile still operate on entirely different development and release schedules. "We really are working towards a cadence where everybody gets everything at the same time," Curd assured when asked about this fragmentation, adding that it's probably the single biggest weakness in PUBG's console iteration.
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In striving for content parity, PUBG's creators hope to eventually implement full crossplay functionality between PS4, Xbox One and PC. "We're all super psyched about the idea," said Curd. "As a player myself, the biggest hurdle is making it feel good between the mouse-and-keyboard warriors versus controller warriors. That's always an interesting challenge to take on. But the dream of everyone playing together is super intriguing. These are discussions for more qualified people further up the chain, but people think it's exciting and have started asking questions."
Crossplay seems like a likely part of PUBG's future, but there are still no guarantees. At least for now, console and PC players will have to stick to their dedicated platforms.
A Fresh Start with Vikendi
Something available in PUBG's more immediate future is the wintry Vikendi snow map. Available in Public Test Servers on console and live on PC, the 6x6 arena was born out of a desire to try something fresh. Its design blends old- and new-world aesthetics like castles, armor and cosmodromes. The wintry setting came together thanks to the dev team's eagerness to explore new gameplay opportunities.
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"We started by talking about the notion of tracking players and being tracked, which led to footprints. That made snow a really obvious choice," Curd described. In this barren landscape, players may find less loot than they're used to.
"The design intention was to provide a sweet spot between the mayhem of Sanhok and the slower, more deliberate tactical experiences you have on Miramar or Erangel," the Team Lead explained. "With that in mind, we're giving out a little more than you'd get on Erangel, but not the loot free-for-all you get in Sanhok." With fewer guns in the field, new players should be better able to get a lay of the land, while veterans feel rewarded when looting high-tier items like the new G36C assault rifle.
Battle royale games are a dime a dozen in 2018, but the minds behind PUBG feel their experience is still the one to beat.
"We have lots of great competitors out there and we're excited, and frankly a little flattered, that the genre has grown so much. But we bring something that's intense, memorable and there's not another feeling in gaming quite like it," said Curd.
Those who want to know exactly what that feeling is can play PUBG on PC, Xbox One, PS4 or mobile devices.
What are your thoughts on PUBG crossplay and Vikendi? Is PUBG still the best battle royale? Tell us in the comments section!
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