Summary
- Update 31.1 added a new Muzzle Break attachment to
PUBG
, which many players are claiming is overpowered. - The Muzzle Break greatly reduces recoil, taking away some of the game’s signature difficulty.
- Players are worried that developer KRAFTON is balancing the game to cater to new players.
Update 31.1 to PUBG: Battlegrounds includes a few changes and additions that have angered many long-time players. The update focuses mainly on clans, adding clan missions, challenges, a supply airplane, and tokens to use in a clan shop. Developer KRAFTON also made a few tweaks to gun attachments and added a new attachment, upsetting many players.
PUBG’s latest update adds a new attachment to the game called Muzzle Break. This attachment can be equipped with assault rifles, DMRs, and some shotguns, reducing both vertical and horizontal recoil by 10%. Several other attachments received a similar upgrade, decreasing recoil by a nearly universal 10% for each grip. This is most noticeable with SMGs that use the Heavy Stock attachment. There’s now nearly no recoil, bumping up the accuracy and making the guns overpowered, as demonstrated in a video by Reddit user krtsgnr_7320.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is beloved by many players because it takes skill, but the new update seems to skew the game in favor of newer and less skilled players. The above video shows the new Muzzle Break attachment in action at the practice range. The short video makes it clear just how high the accuracy is when recoil is reduced on two rifles using the new attachment.
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PUBG: Battlegrounds Players Are Worried New Attachments Will Make The Game Easier
KRAFTON May Be Trying To Attract New Players
Many players are concerned that KRAFTON may be figuratively shooting itself in the foot by removing the most appealing element of the game: its challenging nature. “Why will anyone choose an old game like PUBG over newer titles?” Reddit user No-Transportation843 points out, “PUBG is cool because it actually requires skill to master, it isn’t just point and shoot.” Players hope the developers listen to their existing loyal player base and balance the gunplay better. As OwnAfternoon4901 notes, “I’m trash, but I keep trying to improve. It’s not entertaining if the game does everything for you.”
When it first launched in 2017, PUBG: Battlegrounds cost $29.99. In 2022, the game switched to a free-to-play model and saw a massive increase in player base. Since then, KRAFTON has been straddling the difficult line of keeping loyal fans happy while drawing in new players. While the multiplayer shooter is free-to-play, it features cosmetics and a PUBG Plus subscription plan with additional features. The game relies on these paid services to stay afloat, which means constantly trying to entice new, potentially paying, players to join.
The update seems aimed to reduce the learning curve for new players at the expense of the existing player base. Fans of the game accuse KRAFTON of not listening to the community. Adding new features and making the game easier doesn’t make sense to many players when there are more pressing issues to resolve. For instance, players have been complaining for years about the game’s rampant cheating to no avail. To ensure its survival, PUBG: Battlegrounds will need to find a middle ground that appeals to all players.
Sources: krtsgnr_7230/Reddit, No-Transportation843/Reddit, OwnAfternoon4901/Reddit