While PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has been available for some time, the Battle Royale phenomenon has only continued to grow with new updates and features added regularly, and now the game’s next major update will also include its long-awaited next map.
Over on the game’s Steam Community page, developer PUBG Corps has revealed the patch notes for the PC version’s update #15, which will bring over the brand new Sanhok map, which was available in testing for several weeks, over to the live server.
In addition to the new map, the patch itself also covers a lot of other ground as far as new items, features, and updates. Specifically, the update includes a new weapon exclusive to the Sanhok map in the QBZ95, a new assault rifle that is meant to take the place of the SCAR-L.
The update itself will be rolling out later this week, according to PUBG Corp, with an expected launch date of June 22nd, 2018. Until its official launch later this week, the Sanhok map will be available in the game’s test server to try out on PC, as well.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is available now on PC, Xbox One, iOS, and Android. For a closer look at the upcoming changes and additions coming from Update 15 on PC, you can read the full patch notes below, along with several new images and a few videos:
New Map: Sanhok
Added a new map: Sanhok (pronounced “sah-nok”)
- Sanhok is 4km x 4km map (one fourth the size of Erangel or Miramar). Although games tend to end a little more quickly on this tiny island, battles are still massive. Every game still features 100 players.
- Certain settings have been customized specifically for Sanhok to better fit its unique design. Details are below.
- Performance
- Faraway players and vehicles aren’t rendered the same way on Sanhok, resulting in some server performance improvements.
- Gameplay
- Weather in Sanhok changes dynamically.
- Players can throw apples while waiting to board the plane in the in-game lobby.
- Redzone
- The redzone is smaller and shorter-lasting on Sanhok.
- The center of the redzone appears outside of the playzone (the white circle). This means players are more at risk when outside of the playzone.
- Bluezone
- Bluezone on Sanhok has shorter waiting times and longer travel times.
- The bluezone is also dynamic. It checks remaining player numbers before deciding the next circle, adjusting the waiting time and travel time accordingly (this doesn’t affect circle size).
- Spawn Balance
- The item spawn rules have been customized on Sanhok to get you equipped for battle faster.
- ARs, SMGs, and DMRs are spawned more often. The total item spawn rate has been increased 5% compared to that found in the fourth round of Sanhok testing.
- 8x scopes and 15x scopes don’t spawn on Sanhok. However, they may still be obtained from care packages.
Performance
- We’ve optimized the way servers handle many nearby objects to improve performance. This includes optimizations for:
- Characters models
- Vehicles
- Weapons
World
Added advertisement banners for PGI (PUBG Global Invitational) to buildings, billboards, and the default parachute skin on Erangel and Miramar
- The Bengal Tiger parachute skin is unchanged and when equipped will replace the default skin
Items
- Added the QBZ95, a Sanhok-exclusive weapon
- The QBZ is an AR that uses 5.56mm rounds. It can hold 30 rounds per magazine, and can be extended to 40 rounds.
- The QBZ replaces the SCAR-L in Sanhok’s item spawn pool (meaning the SCAR-L no longer spawns on Sanhok). The QBZ95 spawns about 1.4x as often as the SCAR-L used to spawn on Sanhok.
Gameplay
- Accuracy modifiers applied from moving, changing movement stances or aiming modes are no longer applied instantly.
- This means that for example, when aiming down the sight, you won’t gain the full accuracy improvements from ADS until your sights are aligned.
- The winning player or team will now be given approximately 8 seconds to celebrate their victory before the match ends and results are displayed.
- Spectators can also watch the winning player or team celebrate.
UI/UX
With three maps now in the game, you’ll choose between two “playlists” instead of two maps.
- The Battle Royale playlist contains both Erangel and Miramar. Selecting it will randomly drop you into one of the two.
- The Mini Royale playlist contains only Sanhok for now.
- Select both playlists to be randomly dropped into one of the three maps currently in the game.
- Many game UI elements have been updated
- The friend list UI has been updated
- Leaderboard and Replay UI has been improved
- Pop ups in the lobby and game sessions have been visually enhanced.
- Pop up window showing matchmaking status has been improved
- In-game UI elements such as inventory, map, results window have been improved
- Improved the in-game minimap
- The mini map now dynamically zooms in or out depending on the character’s movement speed, enhancing your ability to see what’s around you.
- The ‘Minimap Dynamic Zoom’ option can be turned on/off in the options menu.
- The minimap can now be expanded
- Minimap expansion can be toggled on/off using the ‘N’ key
- To improve visibility of the Blue Zone in the map, areas under the Blue Zone are now colored blue
- The Blue Zone indicator bar located above the minimap has been improved
- Added universal scope sensitivity setting, with the ability to individually set scope sensitivities if desired.
- Sensitivity levels now apply properly for scopes with a variable zoom.
- A new option to adjust crosshair color using RGBA values has been added under the options menu
- The loading screen has been modified to display game-related tips
Sounds
- Plane engine sound volume when beginning the match has been decreased
- The volume of sounds made by bodies of water (oceans, rivers) has been decreased
- Care package plane’s volume attenuation curve is now steeper. This means the distance at which the plane can be heard is the same, but the distance at which the plane’s maximum sound can be heard has been decreased
- The sound effect made when throwables impact water has been improved
- All weapon sounds have been remastered for better quality
- Excessive boost effect in low frequency range has been adjusted.
Crates
- Aviator crate is now included in weekly random crates, its drop rate has been updated.
- Aviator: 20%
- Eguinox: 15%
- Triumph: 10%
- Raider: 15%
- Fever: 2.5%
- Militia: 15%
- Biker: 10%
- Desperado: 2.5%
- Survivor: 5%
- Wander: 5%
Effects
- We’ve improved visual effects when bullets strike ground or water
- The splash effect shown when throwables impact water has been made more realistic.
Bug Fixes
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Fixed an issue where characters got stuck in certain areas of Erangel and Miramar
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Removed a few objects from Erangel and Miramar which obstructed movement
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Fixed an issue where certain plants in Miramar were floating above the ground
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Fixed an issue where the sound when using an adrenaline syringe was longer than the associated animation
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Fixed an issue preventing the Mirado from taking damage from grenades.
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Fixed an issue where players inside vehicles didn’t take damage from unarmed melee attacks
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Fixed an issue where grenade status effects (flash, burning) would sometimes not disappear after their intended duration.
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Fixed an issue with pistol recoil animations not being played correctly in ADS after exiting a vehicle.
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Fixed an issue where parts of the sidecar’s wheel were missing when the tire was destroyed.
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Improved the vaulting interaction between some objects and windows.
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Fixed an issue when spectating or watching replays where parts of weapons would disappear in certain situations (only weapons with high scope-mounting positions).
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Fixed an issue where dropping a weapon immediately after firing abruptly stopped the sound effect.