It’s a busy time for the team behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. They’re getting ready to launch a new map, and more importantly, they’re trying to get the main game launched on both PC and Xbox One (and Xbox One X). They’ve been hit with many delays, and many are wondering if they’ll complete it in time. But, that’s not stopping them from hearing what fans want and considering their plans for after the main launch of the title.
Mainly, they’ve heard that players want more cosmetic items in the game. Ones that won’t affect the way the game is played, but will allow the player to customize how they look. PUBG Corp. CEO and lead game designer Changhan Kim noted in a Q&A (as revealed by PCGamer) that they are looking into this for after launch:
“As you may already know, we will never add anything that affects the gameplay,” says Kim. “However, there is a relatively strong demand for cosmetic items. Since the official launch is our top priority, we plan on adding new items after that.”
That first line is very indicative to the mindset of the team at Bluehole. For to them, they want to make sure that the gameplay of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is difficult and challenging, and adding things that change how the game plays is something they’re avoiding. As Kim notes, “there’s no practice life!”, and that mantra has held to the game.
That being said, there are some ways to practice in “life”, and for players it can be overwhelming to jump into this 100-person war and expect to do well. So, the team is considering a Tutorial of sorts, or at the very least a shooting range mechanic so that players can “warm up” before jumping into the battle.
If these changes come though, it’d be after launch.
