PUBG introduces Ranked Mode, Bots, and more in Update 7.2

Following up on the release of Season 7, PUBG Update 7.2 features the long-awaited Ranked Mode and the addition of bots to public PC matches.

Last month, PUBG Corp. rolled out Season 7 alongside Update 7.1, bolstered by the brand-new Survivor Pass: Cold Front – focused on the updates to Vikendi and its theme park, Dinoland. PUBG is following up the release of their latest season with a hefty patch in Update 7.2; headlined by a new and long-awaited Ranked Mode, this update features a handful of other changes to the battlegrounds.

Ranked Mode is unquestionably the most significant addition arriving in Update 7.2. The coveted game mode has eluded competitive PUBG enthusiasts for more than two years, over that time PUBG has developed and ultimately shipped their Ranked Mode. Set apart from the Normal Match survivors are currently playing, Ranked gameplay will feature familiar, yet, distinctive differences in loot and lobby size.

The biggest of those differences is the bump in loot you’ll find around the map. Speaking of maps, similar to the PUBG Esports map pool, Ranked Mode will only feature Erangel, Miramar, and Sanhok. Lobbies will also be limited to 64 players, allowing for more space when landing and looting during early phases.

Unfortunately, the settings applied to Ranked Mode are not identical to SUPER (Standard Universal PUBG Esports Rulest), settings created by PUBG Corp. for all esport tournaments. This was at the top of my wishlist as Ranked Mode began gaining traction over the past year. The SUPER settings were arranged by PUBG and have been used in every major PUBG Esports tournament since, so why not use them for your competitive ‘Ranked Mode’?

In my opinion, designing some sort of Frankenstein setting for the new Ranked Mode only widens the gap between the average player and the esports community.

Ultimately, esports isn’t for everyone. And playing a game doesn’t mean you’ll also enjoy the competitive side of it, but I’m positive that players who are interested in playing Ranked Mode are also either aware of the esports settings or prefers to play the game they’re watching PUBG pro players compete in. PUBG shouldn’t cater their Ranked Mode to the player base that needs convincing to test it out, it needs to be the same as PUBG Esports and a place where people can genuinely experience the game’s competitive side.

Aside from the new Ranked Mode, PUBG Corp. has added Bots into Public Unranked matches on PC. Sadly, this could mean in some regions a generous part of the lobby you’re competing in will be filled by Bots. The topic of adding Bots to PC has been discussed by many of the popular names within the PUBG Community, and the aftereffects of this addition may have been overlooked.

From PUBG’s perspective, adding Bots tackles two major issues. Player queue times, and the ruthless learning curve for any new players. As I’ve mentioned in the past, the idea of killing 10 bots does nothing for me. It also removes one of the biggest challenges you face in PUBG, unpredictability from players trying to survive, just like you. It also robs you of that sense of accomplishment when you get the better of an enemy player or team, and come out on the winning side of the fight.

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As someone who has tried to get into PUBG Mobile, I know the biggest issue I had with the game is the lack of difficulty, regardless of my rank, against a lobby that feels as though I’m the only person actually playing. The false sense of confidence you get from eliminating endless herds of bots does zero for your skill level for when you eventually run into a legitimate enemy. This is what I’m afraid PUBG PC will become if bots aren’t implemented correctly.

Apart from the additions of bots and Ranked Mode, Update 7.2 also presents various changes to weapons, including the M416. These weapon adjustments include a nerf to the longstanding best world-spawn AR, the M416. By applying a slight nerf to the M4, and a recoil control buff to the Beryl, PUBG hopes that the options for an AR won’t seem as lopsided as they have in the past.

Oh, you can also throw and pour gasoline from the Jerrycans now. This allows players to pour a line and ignite it with a gunshot or explosive. It’s unlikely this will impact gameplay in any way, but it’s definitely going to make for some hilarious moments during normal matches.