PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds latest PC update changes the makeup of blue zones and adds some life to Miramar, the game’s second map. The update is available now on the live server after spending a few hours on the test server.
The blue zone, which effectively controls the pace of each match by shrinking the playable area, has been reworked in ways that will greatly impact player strategy. The time between each blue zone instance has decreased. Interestingly, the blue zone’s movement speed has decreased and will move slowest near the end of each match. But while you will have more time to reach safe ground as the map gets smaller, staying clear of the blue zone is of greater significance in the latter stages. Damage taken from getting caught outside the blue zone has increased in the seventh, eighth, and ninth instances. Each match’s final blue zone instance will now occur in the center of the map instead of a random place.
For those looking to strategize, as the match carries on safe zones are more likely to be found on land than in water. Of note, with the exception of the initial blue zone, “extreme safe zone” probability has dropped by 30 percent.When playing on Erangel, each match’s first safe zone will now be shown 30 seconds earlier, while Miramar’s first safe zone can be seen when getting dropped off on the airplane.
The blue zone changes could force players into conflict quicker and make everyone think about their late-game decisions more carefully.
Miramar also looks a bit different now in an effort to make the map’s northeast and northwest regions “more appealing.” The Oasis is now located in the north and Alcantara village appears in the northwest. Better loot can now be found in northern Miramar, as well as more roads and paths to make the area more accessible.
The next time you enter a match, you will probably notice that you won’t find new clothes scattered about the map. It’s unclear why, but PUBG Corp. has removed in-game clothing items. Of course, you can still get new digs by taking out a fellow competitor and looting their body, or purchasing a loot crate.
