PUBG Is Going Free In January, But You Need To Pay To Get All Features

One of the first popular battle royale games, PUBG, is becoming a free-to-play game next year. During The Game Awards tonight, Krafton announced that PUBG will shift to a free-to-play model on January 12, 2022. The change applies to both the PC and console editions of PUBG.

Since PUBG launched in 2017, it's been a paid game, and it's currently available for $30. But that's changing next year when PUBG adopts a free-to-play business model that puts it in line with other popular battle royale games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone, among others. Some of PUBG's features, including Ranked mode, will require players to own the game or pay to buy a new offering called Battlegrounds Plus (more on that below).

Everyone who pre-registers for PUBG's free version by January 11 will get a "special care package" that comes with special cosmetics and other extras.

PUBG's mobile edition has always been free, but this is a big shift for PUBG's PC and console editions, which currently sell for $30. More than 75 million copies of the game have been sold to date.

Krafton also announced that when PUBG goes free, there will be a new, optional offering called Battleground Plus. For a one-time payment of $13, players will get the following:

• Bonus 1,300 G-COIN
• Survival Mastery XP + 100% boost
• Career - Medal tab
• Ranked Mode
• Custom Match functionality
• In-Game items, including the Captain’s Camo set, which includes hat, camo mask and camo gloves

Everyone who buys PUBG before it goes free will get the Special Commemorative Pack that comes with Battleground Plus, as well as various cosmetics.

Keep checking back with GameSpot for more from The Game Awards all night.