PUBG Is Adding Bots on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is releasing a new update for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions this week that's set to add bots to the game for players to compete against AI characters as well as other humans. The bots are planned for a release in the 7.1 update which is set to launch on April 27th, and the goal behind the feature is to give new players and those in the game's lower skill levels a way to still have a satisfying experience and get some practice in against others instead of being wiped from the game the second you drop in. PUBG Corp. shared some info on these bots ahead of their release to explain how they'll work on consoles and what the bots are capable of.

These bots will be a first for the console versions of the game, and as such, they'll be worked on for a while after their release to make sure they're in a good spot for players to contend with and learn from. Tests and data have been used to see how bots should move, shoot, loot, and otherwise face off against other players, so even though it may be easy to identify whether someone's a bot or not, they'll hopefully mirror actual player movements well enough when they're added.

"In an effort to provide more ways for players to hone their skills and be able to fully enjoy what PUBG has to offer, we've decided to introduce bots with Update 7.1," PUBG Corp. said in a dev letter about the bots. "Bots can have both positive or negative effects on a game depending on how well it is programmed, so let's go over some of the things we've been considering when programming these artificial aggressors.

Below is an overview of how bots will work on consoles.

Bots on Consoles

• Ratio of bots in each match is dynamic.
  • The ratio of bots in each match will change according to player skill and the matchmaking pool in each region.
• Bots can join all queue types (Solo/Duo/Squad)
  • Players will not be placed in a team with bots.
• Bots actions are limited.
  • Bots can walk, run, crouch, prone, shoot, vault, swim, parachute, and loot.
  • Leaning, jumping, ledge grab, and the use of throwables will be added at a later date.
• Achievements, trophies, missions, and Mastery can still be earned and completed.
  • Actions against bots are counted towards missions, Survival & Weapon Mastery, as well as platform achievements and trophies.
• Bot spectate and Death Cam.
  • You can spectate a bot only after all players have been eliminated.
  • Death Cams from the perspective of bots will be available, but they may look a little odd until we make our planned improvements.

Look for the next PUBG update to come to consoles next week to implement the bots features and other changes.