PUBG Players Have Some Issues With the First Event Mode
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds recently introduced a new series of limited-time events to help [...]
Third-Person Perspective Only
This weekend only: Eight-Player Squads. Double Assault Rifle Drop Rates. The first PUBG Event Mode is now available on Live Servers.
Read more about our new Event Mode system: https://t.co/e87pK1LZJX pic.twitter.com/1pLOjgbDJt
— PLAY BATTLEGROUNDS (@PUBATTLEGROUNDS) March 24, 2018
News of the either-players squad game mode was shared on Twitter soon after it was announced with a tweet that detailed the expanded squad numbers and the higher drop rate for assault rifles. However, players that hopped into the event mode without reading the link may have been disappointed to find that the mode only offers a third-person perspective.
To be fair, the link to the Steam post did explain towards the end that the mode would only offer such a mode.
"Please keep in mind that the first iteration will only feature TPP on Erangel to ensure effective matchmaking," the Steam post cautioned.
But judging from players' comments so far, it's clear that some were aware of the detail and are just disappointed at the lack of a first-person perspective. Outside of the TPP complaint, players had an even greater problem with the limitations of the eight-player squad possibilities.
Four-Player Squad + Four Randoms
Sure glad we can choose the other 7 people we play with...oh, wait, never mind. Should have known that wouldn't be a thing.
— Thomas Ullmann (@MrWartburg) March 24, 2018
An even larger issue than the TPP restriction that players have taken with the game mode is that eight-person squads aren't made up of yourself and seven friends. Instead, they're composed of yourself, three friends, and four random players.
There's always the chance that players would be paired up with another squad which would offer two coherent groups working towards the same goal, but it's still noticeably different from playing with a full squad of eight players. That detail wasn't mentioned in the body of the Steam post, but those who played the game mode on the test servers may have already been aware of the fact. Others, however, weren't up to speed on how the eight-person squads would work and were disappointed to learn of the restrictions.
Low Battle Points Winnings
CommentIn additions to the restrictions that were put on the mode, some players also weren't pleased to see their Battle Point earnings at the end of the match depending on where they placed.
The Reddit user above commented in a thread in the PUBG subreddit about the event mode and lamented the amount of BP that was earned for placing fourth. By earning just 16 BP, it's a much smaller reward than players would usually get from playing the default game modes regardless of whether they queue for a solo or squad game.
It was also pointed out that however fun the game modes might be, if the reward offered isn't attractive enough, it may be hard to keep players interested. But even with a lower reward, there's still one group of players who have no problem scraping up what BP they can: Cheaters.
Cheaters, Cheaters, Cheaters
Sounds good, doesn't work.
1. TPP? Really?
2. Cheaters, see point 1.
3. 4 player lobbies only, GGWP!Someone didn't think this through.
— Ian Chenel (@ichenel) March 24, 2018
This problem isn't as one that's exclusive to the event mode so much as it is a PUBG issue overall, but cheaters are still causing quite a problem for the new event mode.
Looking to other games with rotating game modes as examples, these limited-time events are often used by players to catch a break from the typical game modes. Fortnite is the most comparable example at the moment that comes to mind with its recent Blitz mode, though other games like Overwatch offer similar events. But when these take-a-breather modes are plagued with cheaters, it just sucks the fun out of them.
Replying to the PUBG Twitter accounts' notification about the game mode, a user summed up some of the main problems while highlighting the cheater epidemic. PUBG has been cracking down on cheaters, but they're still finding their way into the event mode.
This is the first event mode that PUBG has offered, so while it may have some issues, these players' complaints should serve as helpful feedback for future changes. Whether that feedback will be implemented or not will be seen in the next event mode or sometime in between the events.