PUBG: Battlegrounds Is Getting Free to Play Early in 2022

PUBG has been remaining among those rare Battle Royale games that kept to the paid model of distribution, while others exploited the benefits of free-to-play. It will change soon. According to the official statement of the publisher, on January 12, 2022, PUBG becomes free to play, with extra paid features available to new players.

The changes will affect both PC and console versions which will go free simultaneously and thus retain cross-platform compatibility. While most features of PUBG will be available under a free account, those who still wish to make a one-time payment of $12.99 will get an array of bonuses and benefits. These will include Random Mode and Custom Match features, 1,300 G-Coins, a Career Medal, and a 100% bonus to Survivals Mastery.

Currently, PUBG is $29.99 on Steam and other marketplaces. It must hurt to be among the last ones who paid for the game while soon it would be free. The owners of the paid version, though, will get their compensation. It will be a special content pack that includes everything from Battlegrounds Plus and some extras, like the Shackle and Shanks Legacy Pan, the “Battle-Hardened” nameplate, and a special Battle-Hardened Costume. Does it make sense to buy the paid version as you learn this? Probably these items won’t be available any other way.

To preregister for the free version, one must create a Krafton ID and link it to PUBG: Battlegrounds (if not yet). It looks like a good idea also because Krafton is not going to stick to PUBG: Battlegrounds in any form. So soon expect more games for which Krafton ID will be just as necessary. Existing PUBG accounts convert to Krafton ID automatically.

Are you a PUBG player? Or do you plan to join right after the game goes free? Or will you rather wait a month or two to skip the flood of new players? Let’s talk PUBG in the comments!