It seems that multiplayer online PC games are finding a place in the mobile market. Following news that Ark: Survival Evolved and Fortnite Battle Royale are heading to (or are already available on) Android and iOS, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has now launched for phones and tablets in most major locations.
For a game notorious for its poor optimization on the PC, PUBG is said to work exceptionally well on mobile platforms. Best of all, it’s free. The game generates income by selling in-game currency that can be used to unlock loot boxes, which can also be accessed through in-game challenges.
The mobile version contains the same original map seen on the PC, and while the graphics have been downgraded and some elements don’t work quite as well, the gameplay, weapons, and vehicles all carry over from the full-price PC version. There’s also voice chat support for playing in groups and an “anti-cheating mechanism.”
PUBG mobile’s arrival comes as little surprise. Developer Bluehole signed a deal with publisher Tencent back in November, and the game hit Android and iOS devices in China last month. It underwent a soft-launch period in Canada over the last couple of weeks, where it reached number 2 in the download charts.
PUBG Mobile will be improved over time with new updates. “The current version does not represent the final quality of the game as we will keep optimizing existing content and adding new features,” Tencent Games says.
For Android users, you’ll need Android 5.1.1 Lollipop or newer, and a device with at least 2GB of RAM. Playing the game on iOS requires an iPhone 5s or newer, though an iPhone 6 or newer will offer the best results, according to Tencent.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds can be downloaded now from the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
