PUBG On PC Adds Bots To Help Newbies Despite Controversy

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, more commonly called PUBG, has received an update that adds bots on the PC servers, helping newbies get some kills and win some rounds. The topic of bots is controversial among PUBG players, as it is among Fortnite players and those in a number of other games, too. Game update 7.2 is also bringing a new Ranked Mode, weapon balance tweaks, and more.

The PUBG update 7.2 changes went live on the Test Server earlier this month and rolled out to everyone on PC last week; players on Stadia and consoles will see the patch arrive on Tuesday, May 26. The update comes with long patch notes, which players can find in their entirety on the official PUBG website here.

For some players, the most interesting part of this update is the arrival of bots on the PC servers; they appear only in non-ranked matches. The bots exist to serve new players who may lack skills in the game and feel frustrated at their lack of success. Being eliminated quickly by players who have years of experience is discouraging, causing new players to abandon the game.

Epic had to deal with similar issues on Fortnite, prompting it to add skill-based matchmaking and bots. PUBG is getting something similar with its own new addition of bots — the company behind the game promises balanced gunfights with the machine-powered players, as well as the right quantity of loot to give players just enough, but not too much. Full details on the bots can be found here.

Also exciting in PUBG version 7.2 is the addition of a proper Ranked Mode, which enables more skilled players to battle other top competitors to prove their skills and reap rewards. Survival Title has been discontinued in light of the Ranked Mode, which will cause a player's rank to either decrease or increase depending on their performance in ranked matches.