The battle royale genre is one of the biggest things in gaming right now, and that is at least partially thanks to PUBG: Battlegrounds. While it may not be the most popular battle royale, it is often credited with popularizing the genre. Its high-stakes gameplay has been replicated by so many different games since its inception, and it is still going strong to this day. However, no king rules forever, and PUBG: Battlegrounds‘ glory days may be behind it.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is still immensely popular and may be one of the highest-grossing video games of all time, but eventually things must end. The battle royale already seems like it has fallen behind its competition, and its age is definitely showing. While it likely still has a lot of juice left in it, its last days may be here sooner than some players realize.
PUBG Helped Popularize Battle Royales
PUBG: Battlegrounds exploded onto the scene when it first entered Steam early access in 2017. Players fell in love with its gameplay where only one person could come out on top. While many games had battle royale mods, this was one of the first standalone battle royale experiences. Soon, every developer wanted their own battle royale, and that was partially thanks to PUBG: Battlegrounds‘ success.
Since its release, PUBG: Battlegrounds has seen a plethora of updates that have expanded the game in exciting ways. The studio has added eight more maps, new weapons, new areas, new mechanics, and made it free to play in 2022. It has also brought the game to almost every device possible, including Google Stadia, and has gone on to amass over $13 billion in revenue. There are also plans to expand the brand with even more standalone titles, but the studio has not shared much about that yet.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is still extremely popular as countless amounts of players enter the battlefield every day, and PUBG Mobile has been a sensation. It likely still has a lot of life left in it, and PUBG Studios seems committed to making it the best it can be. While it may be a little rough around the edges, it is still one of the best titles the battle royale genre has to offer.
PUBG Has Fallen Behind the Competition
PUBG: Battlegrounds‘ success led to numerous titles chasing the battle royale genre, and it feels like PUBG has fallen a bit behind its competitors as a result. Specifically, Fortnite now seems to have become the face of the genre. Instead of leading the charge, it feels like PUBG: Battlegrounds has begun chasing Fortnite‘s success. It has become a cultural phenomenon and may ultimately be PUBG: Battlegrounds‘ downfall.
Fortnite has not only featured countless crossovers, but its colorful graphics also feel timeless. The studio is constantly reinventing the game with brand-new chapters, and no one quite knows what to expect next. PUBG: Battlegrounds, on the other hand, feels stagnant. The graphics look a bit rough, the studio has not done much to reinvent the gameplay loop, and it has mostly been left out of the crossover fun outside of a few little events. While Fortnite constantly dominates the scene, it feels like PUBG: Battlegrounds has faded.
PUBG: Battlegrounds will not be going anywhere anytime soon, but it has definitely lost its crown to the competition. If PUBG Studios does not try to reinvent it further, then there is a chance that the game’s final days will be upon it, and future PUBG titles may cement that fact. The success of PUBG Mobile could also mean this franchise’s future is on mobile devices exclusively, but only time will tell.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
