PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' sixth season is due to begin soon, but ahead of its launch you can take it for a spin in the test server, along with Karain, a new fast-paced 64-player map. Check out some footage of the map in action above.
Karakin is a 2x2km map with five settlements on the coast and loads of big open spaces where you'll inevitably be sniped in front of a Twitch audience. PUBG Corp says you can expect Miramar's tension but the speed of Sanhok. The map's twist is that it's dynamic, featuring a random 'Black Zone' that transforms the areas it strikes.
When an area ends up in the Black Zone, buildings can be damaged or completely destroyed, turning somewhere once full of cover and buildings into a ruined wasteland. You'll have time to escape once you hear the siren, so you'll be able to survive even if the buildings can't. To add to the destruction, Karakin also features breach points that can be destroyed by sticky bombs, an item only available on the island. Breach points aren't just found on walls, either, so you can pull off some fancy assaults by coming in via the ceiling, surprising campers. Some walls can be penetrated by bullets, too.
To add to the destruction, Karakin also features breach points that can be destroyed by sticky bombs, an item only available on the island. Breach points aren't just found on walls, either, so you can pull off some fancy assaults by coming in via the ceiling, surprising campers. Some walls can be penetrated by bullets, too.
PUBG's first flying vehicle, which players have been able to test in PUBG Labs, has also been added to Karakin, letting you soar above the chaos and, if you've brought a friend, they can rain down death and destruction while you pilot the thing. Pilots can also score some kills with skilful use of the vehicle's rotor blades.
There's also a new Survivor Pass, Shakedown, some matchmaking changes and other tweaks you can check out in the patch notes.
Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds new year action will see players getting to drop in on a brand new 64-player map, the island of Karakin. Set in a delightfully arid desert location, Karakin has completely destructible buildings thanks to an edgy new feature named Black Zone – a hazard that changes the map layout each match.
On top of this, players who enjoyed the Motor Glider featured on PUBG Labs last month will be thrilled to hear it hits live servers today. I’m sure it won’t be long now until you’re all swooping cinematically, dodging bullets and debris from all of those crumbling buildings.
PUBG's season 6 is upon us (don't worry, I've lost track too), and with it PUBG Corp is introducing a significant amount of new content. This includes a new map and weapons - at the cost of saying goodbye to Vikendi for a while, as the map has been temporarily removed from public matchmaking.
According to the patch notes, new map Karakin is a small 2x2km island providing "the tension of Miramar combined with the pace of Sanhok" for 64 players at a time. There's a mixture of long-range sniping in the mountains, tense urban combat, and claustrophobic underground scuffles to keep players on their toes.
A couple of features make this map stand out from the crowd: the first being sticky bombs - a throwable which can be used on breach points to root out campers. Equally, campers can use them to create windows, while explorers may find them useful in discovering the map's secret areas. A little something for everyone.
Back in November, PUBG introduced PUBG Labs. It’s a sort of middle ground between the cordoned off test server and the final, public version of the battle royale ’em up where players can opt in to try new features while they’re still on the cooling rack. The latest addition to PUBG Labs is this daft plane that you can try flying for the next two days.
A new feature is being tested out in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, specifically in PUBG Labs, which players will be able to put through its paces all weekend. Finally, PUBG is experimenting with flying vehicles.
All you'll need to sacrifice is your dignity, as you obliterate your foes while floating in something that looks less cool than Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But you're still flying! That's the important thing, and nobody can take that away from you. Unless you get shot down.
The motor glider has room for a pilot and passenger, and it spawns around the map like other vehicles, though presumably it will be less common. You'll also need plenty of room for take-off, which requires the glider to hit 65km/h first. You'll need to keep an eye on your fuel, too, which will drain faster when you apply more throttle.
If you're piloting, you'll need to rely on your passenger to kill other players, but you could get a few kills yourself if you manage to hit a player with the rotor on the back of the glider. And if all the death gets too much for you, just keep going up into the clouds and escape the mayhem. The only limit to how high you can go is your fuel.
The glider is available now in PUBG Labs, specifically for squads in Erangel and Miramar, but will disappear on December 23.