It was on 9 February 2018 that Chinese game publisher, Tencent Games, under the banner of PUBG Corporation released a multiplayer survival game for smartphones called Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds aka PUBG.
The game became an instant hit with the Android and iOS community and is a rage currently in India. In its one year, the game has undergone many changes in terms of interface, skins, environments, weapons, vehicles and even the game play.
Since the game has made a number of headlines, here’s a quick look at some interesting facts about PUBG and what it’s been up to in the past twelve months.
Always Online
PUBG mobile currently boasts almost 30 million daily active users globally and has been downloaded more than 200 million times in the past one year.
Makers of the game have claimed that PUBG on mobile was the most installed mobile game worldwide in Q1 of 2018 and it was also downloaded more than any other game in the U.S. previous quarter, despite having launched in mid-March.
India is the second largest user base for PUBG after US and it is still growing considering the high level of smartphone and mobile data penetration in the country.
The game currently has more than 11 million downloads on the Google PlayStore and is one of the most downloaded apps on the Apple app store as well. It also became the world’s most installed mobile game with more than 50 million downloads in the first quarter.
The Updates Kept Coming
The game has been constantly updated ever since its release and is currently in its fifth season. From introducing night vision to dynamic weather and environments, PUBG has been one of the most constantly updated game on the mobile platform.
The game also had associations with Hollywood movies like Mission Impossible: Fallout, Suicide Squad and Resident Evil 2 with player skins being worked around the movies characters.
Apart from adding more weapons and vehicles, the game also introduced two new maps (Sanhok & Vikendi) which gave the players more options in terms of variations in gameplay. Yet, Erangel is the most played map in the game and my personal favourite.
Exploring Other Platforms
Seeing there was enough craze for the game in the mobile segment, Tencent released a version of the PUBG for Xbox and PS4. The console version of the game is very similar to the PC version and didn’t gain the kind of popularity the company received from the mobile version.
Although, PUBG on mobile is a free-to-play game on all Android and iOS devices, PlayStation and Xbox users have to buy the game.
PUBG as a Theme
Almost everyone in India is familiar with PUBG and people didn’t take time to take advantage of the game’s popularity.
Many couples in India were seen posing for their pre-wedding photo shoots in PUBG theme and attire while someone in Jaipur opened a PUBG themed restaurant as well called PlayerUnknown’s Belly Grounds! There is another one that’s just opened up in Srinagar.
Expect more to open soon.
Mobile gaming accessory maker too have been busy expanding their portfolio of gaming accessories for PUBG on mobile. Ever since the game’s release, the sale of mobile triggers and Bluetooth gamepads have shot up.
When Controversies Came Looking
“It’s just a game”, said many but PUBG has had its fair share of controversies when reports from different part of the country surfaced on how children were getting addicted to the game and not focusing on studies.
Mostly recently, the Goa IT minister has referred to the game as a ‘demon’ and wants it banned in the state.
Earlier, the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association had asked the governor of the state to ban the game as students of class 10th and 12th were getting poor results after spending too much time playing the game.
Also, the Vellore Insitute of Technology (VIT) in Chennai has banned PUBG in its campus after student were found losing focus in their assignments and physical sports activities.
Clearly it has been an eventful year for PUBG on mobile but I can assure you that the game’s second year is going to be more exciting. The developers are currently in the process of releasing a zombies in the game play and also working on releasing a Lite version of the game for PC in India.
Unlike the many games that hit the mobile market, PUBG is here to stay.
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