PUBG switching to free-to-play wasn’t because of Fortnite, Apex, or Warzone, says creative director

As of today, January 12, PUBG: Battlegrounds is a free-to-play title. Developer Krafton previously said the change would “welcome new players to the game.” But the move also raises a few questions.

GamesRadar+ asked such questions in an interview with PUBG creative director David Curd. Other free-to-play shooters like Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Fortnite are easy comparisons to make, but they weren’t a factor in PUBG making the shift. “This is in no way a response to the other titles you’ve mentioned,” Curd answered when asked by GamesRadar+. “We came to the decision to make PUBG: Battlegrounds free-to-play because we feel that it is truly the right time. Our game is in a great place with eight maps, an engaged community, and our deep gun mechanics, so this is the natural next step and a great way to introduce more players to our universe.” That certainly matches the sentiment of the earlier quote when the free-to-play plan was announced — the change is about attracting and welcoming new players. That’s trickier with the old $30 USD asking price.

Of course, pricing isn’t the only thing that’s changed for PUBG recently. The latest update introduced a smoke grenade launcher and traitorous chickens, whose clucks can give away your position. You can expect even more content to be added to the game now that it’s expanded its reach into the free-to-play market.