PUBG: Battlegrounds Season 22 Adds Polar Bears

PUBG: Battlegrounds’ new update has launched on PC, and with it comes a snow-covered version of Vikendi where you can find bears and a new thermal scope.

Vikendi’s bears can be found hibernating in caves, guarding precious loot. You can enter into their caves at your own risk, as bears will attack if you enter within range. Vikendi’s snowy makeover is complete with an aurora borealis and a moonlit landscape, though this variant appears randomly. You can also pick up a 4X Thermal Scope to spot enemies in the darkened and sometimes blizzard-ridden Vikendi.

After community feedback, Deston is returning to the Normal Match and Ranked Match random rotation in North America. In the meantime, the map Taego will be out of Normal Match random rotation. Season 22 is also starting, which means player-rank will be reset and you will receive rewards based on which rank you hit last season.

The patch also brings various bug fixes and tweaks. In terms of big changes, the spawn rate of 5.56mm and 7.62mm weapons in the AR, DMR, and LMG weapons types have been adjusted. All these weapons now have similar spawn rates, giving you more options. Open-roof vehicles have also been removed, so you will be less vulnerable to incoming fire while riding or driving.

You can read the full patch notes below or on the PUBG: Battlegrounds official website.

Live Maintenance Schedule

The times shown below are subject to change.

• PC
  • PST: February 14, 4:30 PM – February 15, 12:30 AM
  • CET: February 15, 1:30 AM – 9:30 AM
  • KST: February 15, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
• Console
  • PST: February 22, 8 PM – February 23, 4 AM
  • CET: February 23, 5 AM – 1 PM
  • KST: February 23, 1 PM – 9 PM

Live Server Fixes

• Fixed the issue where the sleeve part of the Ursa Hunter Jacket covered your aim sight in ADS mode.
• Fixed the issue where the incorrect time is shown in Thai when there is less than 23 hours remaining until a Survivor Pass ends.
• Fixed the issue where you can hear footsteps/gun shots at a location where a player does not exist.
• Fixed the issue where the ranking of the last teammate to leave the End of Match screen is shown as their Comeback BR’s ranking.
• Fixed the issue where the remaining number of weapons (when there is only one) at the Salvage page of the Hideout is shown in English for all languages.
• Fixed the issue where the text of Medals with long names overlap with your teammate’s when you activate View Medals at Match Report.
• Fixed the issue where the White Tiger – Pan skin is flipped backwards at Hideout – Weapon.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the preview for Spring Fest 2023 Prime Parcel did not show up.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the Team Management UI did not show up when a random player joins your team while you have the System Menu open at the starting island.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the purchase window activated when you rapidly hovered your cursor over a deactivated Step Up item.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the animation was not played when you open a Daily Supply cache.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where you could see another player inside a Blizzard Zone clearly.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the hover sound effect is not played for the Exit to Lobby and Start buttons on the LABS screen.
• (Console) Fixed the issue where you are unable to return to the lobby as a weapon is displayed in the background when you enter Settings from the Hideout.
• (Console) Fixed the issue where the PlayStation™ Store logo is not shown and does not show up until you reaccess the Add-Ons preview page.

Map Service

• Test Server
  • Normal Match: Vikendi
    • AS region: Squad
    • NA region: Squad – FPP
• Live Server
  • Map Selection Region
    • Featured Map: Vikendi
    • Normal Match: Erangel / Miramar / Taego / Sanhok / Karakin
    • Ranked: Erangel / Miramar / Taego
  • Random Map Region
    • Normal Match: Erangel (20%) / Miramar (20%) / Deston (20%) / Karakin (20%) / Vikendi (20%)
    • Ranked: Erangel / Miramar / Taego
  • Console (Xbox, PlayStation®)
    • Normal Match: Erangel (20%) / Miramar (20%) / Deston (20%) / Karakin (20%) / Vikendi (20%)
    • Ranked: Erangel / Miramar / Taego

< Dev’s Comment >

Deston is returning to Random Map regions this update! For every rotation, we try our best to base each of our decisions on map popularity rates, dodge rates, surveys, etc., but we’ve been receiving feedback that the extraction of certain maps from the random map pool was upsetting several players who enjoyed playing maps that were excluded from a rotation. Therefore, we’ve decided to implement your feedback by placing Deston back to the random map pool and taking Taego out for a bit.

Also, we can’t say much now, but we are planning a change to the map rotation system based on all your feedback sometime this year. With this update, every player from every region will be able to meet various maps at a faster pace. Until then, enjoy the return of Deston and Karakin this update!

Please note the features and updates introduced below may be modified or even possibly removed due to reasons such as bugs, in-game issues, and/or community feedback. Also, images used below are provided as visual guidelines – features may turn out looking different in the actual game as builds are continuously developed and fixed before they go live.

World

Vikendi

New Creature: Bear

The lumbering pack of malice has awoken from hibernation and is ready to blow up bloody winds on the Battlegrounds. Introducing a new creature available only in Vikendi: the Bear.

These Bears may look soft to the touch, but they’ll never be your friendly neighborhood pets so make sure to flee or fight back if you wish to keep all your body parts intact!

• Bears can be killed.
• Bears will begin to attack if you are within a certain range.
• Bear warning signs have been added throughout the map.
• Bear kill/damage stats will not reflect on your Profile Overview, Stats, Match History, Mastery, and End of Match screen.
• Available modes
  • Bears reside in Vikendi only.
  • Normal Matches, Custom Matches

The Return of Moonlight

As the sun sets on the frost-laced lands, a beautiful aurora blooms within the serene darkness.

The weather everyone’s been waiting for – Moonlight mode – has returned this update.

• Moonlight weather will appear randomly in matches.
• Available modes
  • Only available in Vikendi.
  • Normal Matches, Custom Matches

New Scope: Thermal 4x Scope

Would you perhaps remember LABS: Thermal Scope Mode, where you had to fight in darkness using only infrared rays? Well we’ve collected your opinions based on our previous experimental mode and decided to add the popular feature to the snowy grounds: detect snooping players with the new Thermal 4x Scope! (Shouldn’t it be your best friend in Moonlight weather?)

• The Thermal Scope utilizes heat signatures to help you detect obscured enemies more easily.
  • This includes enemies hiding in smoke, darkness, brush, etc.
• The Thermal Scope is a world spawn item.
• Available modes
  • Only available in Vikendi.
  • Training Mode, Normal Matches, Custom Matches
  • (PC) Available on every map through Sandbox Mode.

Additional Updates

• Supply Drops have been added to Vikendi caves.
• To make the recently added natural disasters a bit more realistic, smoke and flame from throwables such as Smoke Grenades, Molotov, etc. will no longer work properly within the Blizzard Zone.
  • Players who are caught on fire will also not receive damage within the Blizzard Zone.
    • However, you will still receive initial damage when your body is hit with the Molotov.
• We’ve noticed the friendly Folded Shields seemed a bit too hidden in the snow. We’re digging them out by increasing their spawn rate by approximately 172%.
• Item spawn spots have been increased in Train Station, Villa, Castle, and Winery to further richen looting experience in various parts of Vikendi.

Karakin

• Adjusted footstep and weapon sounds of the surface/underground so they sound more distinct from each other.

Gameplay

• Weapon Balance
  • We’ll be balancing the Mk12 a bit this update. Our graphs on weapon loot rate, kill rate, etc. were showing us Mk12’s overperformance over its other DMR fellows. Therefore, we’ve decided to go ahead with some healthy balance changes and made sure to adjust the Mk12 so that it’ll still remain a helpful, hard-hitting weapon but not outshining other options too much.
    • Damage: 51 -> 50
    • Initial Bullet Speed: 930m/s -> 900m/s
    • Recoil recovery: Reduced by approximately 6%.
    • Recoil speed: Increased by approximately 2%.
• Weapon spawn balance
  • We have adjusted the general spawn rates of 5.56mm and 7.62mm weapons (AR, DMR, LMG only) to have them share similar spawn rates, and to provide more primary weapon options to our players.
    • This spawn balance applies to every map and mode.
• Vehicle adjustments
  • Zima has been slightly sized up.
  • Vehicle models with open roofs such as the UAZ, Mirado, and Pickup Truck have been removed as they made drivers/passengers a bit too vulnerable.
  • Dacia and UAZ will now spawn in Taego.
  • Trunks have been added to Pickup Trucks and UAZ.
• An option to hide your in-game vest and belt has been added to settings.
  • Inventory shortcut (Show/hide Vest/Belt) UI only available in PC.

< Dev’s Comment >

We’d like to add a few extra words about the removal of UAZ, Mirado, and Pickup Truck’s roof-less models. As we have released and balanced many of our existing vehicles, we’ve noticed specific vehicle models and types needed some tidying up. So we’ve decided to stick to a single model only for the UAZ, Mirado, and Pickup Truck and keep their roofs on for better cover.

Known Issue

• (Console) We are looking into the issue where the sounds of vehicles and certain weapons do not play on the Xbox platform. Sound optimizations are ongoing and will be reflected in Update 22.1 and 22.2.

Ranked – Season 22

A new challenging Season of Ranked – Season 22 has arrived this update.

• The leaderboard will reset after the Live Server maintenance.
• Check out your final Tier from the previous season through your Career page.

Season 21 Rewards

Below are the rewards you’ll be receiving based on your final Tier from the previous Ranked season.

• TheParachute skin and Medals are permanent rewards.
• The rest of the obtainable rewards are available for use during a single Ranked season.
• Rewards can be found in your Inventory once Season 22 starts.
• Once Season 22 is over and the server undergoes maintenance, every reward but the Parachute and Medal will be withdrawn from your Edit Profile page.

• The Parachute skin and Medals are permanent rewards.
• The rest of the obtainable rewards are available for use during a single Ranked season.
• Rewards can be found in your Inventory once Season 22 starts.
• Once Season 22 is over and the server undergoes maintenance, every reward but the Parachute and Medal will be withdrawn from your Edit Profile page.

Custom Match

• Intense Battle Royale mode has been added to Custom Matches. Enjoy that quick Chicken Dinner even more with friends!
  • Min: 2 players, max: 16 players
  • FPP/TPP both available.
  • Maps are selectable among Erangel/Miramar/Taego/Deston, but the specific play areas within each map will be selected randomly.
• The new Moonlight weather/Bear/Thermal 4x Scope have been added to Vikendi’s Custom Match settings.
• Haven has been added to Custom Match.

UX/UI

• The preview for equipping item slots in Customize Lobby have been added.

Performance

• Optimized several in-game UI such as the health bar, blood effects when hit, Inventory, etc. to improve frame rates.
• Fixed several hitches (in-game footsteps, PUBG ID loadings, equipping weapon skins, etc.) to improve frame rates.
• The logic for interaction canceling in vehicles has been improved for certain in-game situations.
  • This especially applies to low-end devices.

Bug Fixes

Gameplay

• General in-game bugs have been fixed.
• Improved the issue where you were unable to revive your knocked out teammate you were carrying.
• Fixed the issue where you are unable to see another player’s emote from within a certain range.
• Fixed the issue where a spectator is unable to see the Airboat’s boost effects.
• Fixed the issue where your body moves slowly out from the window when you’re shot from seats 2~4 in a Pickup Truck.
• Fixed the issue where your settings from Custom Match – Match Settings – DBNO Revive Time are not applied to your session.
• Fixed the issue where the area goes black within a certain range in the ocean.
• (PC) Fixed the spectating issue where you hear a specific ringing sound from the player you’re spectating but the sound persists even after switching to a different player.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where your perspective looks briefly awkward after you follow certain steps in FPP then switch to TPP.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the screen is awkwardly displayed when you reaccess the game when you’re on an Emergency Pickup plane.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where your footsteps sound slightly louder when you sprint left/right/back when your movement speed is identical as normal walking.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the sound is not played consecutively for Victory Dance 56.

World

• Fixed collision, texture, performance, and more general issues in Vikendi, Miramar, and Karakin.
• Fixed the issue where a loss of grass was discovered at a certain area in Sanhok.
• (Console) Fixed the issue where Tactical Trucks were attacking each other in Haven.

UX/UI

• Fixed the issue where the K2’s rail preview UI did not match its in-game UI.
• Fixed the issue where equipment such as the vest or helmet shown with red gauges in the Inventory show reversed red gauges when placed in the Drone’s inventory.
• Fixed the issue where the “Not enough space” UI shows up when a character with a full inventory (holding a Self-AED) gets knocked out in front of an item.
• Fixed the issue where only the player coming in first place is displayed on the results screen for both the host and observer in Custom Matches.
• Fixed the incorrect translation issue with the “Basic Killfeed Skin” and “Special Killfeed Skin” in Hideout – Weapon.
• Fixed the issue where the player who killed you is not shown on the report window in Arcade – Team Deathmatch.
• Fixed the issue where the progressive weapon item slot’s Lv.1 UI is not consistently displayed on the Step Up page.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the menus weren’t working properly in the Event page.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where you are unable to separate your weapon skin stacks in Customize.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the “Phase 1” label is displayed on the minimap when you’re waiting on the starting island.
• (PC) Fixed the issue where the Phoenix weapon item’s images are not shown in Steam – Item Inventory.
• (Console) Fixed the issue where the sound is not played when moving focus in Hideout – Scrap Broker.
• (Console) Fixed the UI issue of the next page of the pop-up that shows up when you Salvage a high-tier weapon skin.

Items & Skins

※ Clipping issue: Graphics that are shown outside the visible part of an image/object.

• Fixed the issue where a female character’s left arm goes transparent when equipping Handwraps with the Huya Biker Jacket.
• Fixed the clipping issue on the waist when a female character equips Dead by Daylight “The Legion” Jacket with Wasted Future Pants.
• Fixed the clipping issue on the head when a male character equips the Legend Status Hat.