PUBG Patch 7.2: New Bots, New Ranked and New Problems

It’s no secret that PUBG had a rather tumultuous history – after being turned into an esport far too soon and facing some rather ridiculous problems like unavoidable bugs at official tournaments and pre-launch events, the game recovered.

It built a loyal fanbase and the story turned – PUBG news were suddenly positive, rather than negative. The game made huge leaps forward… except now it seems they may have taken a step backwards again, enough that people are wondering whether or not PUBG is dying.

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The 7.2 patch and update

The most recent change to the game – already live on test servers if you want to check it out straight away – has left a sour taste in people’s mouths. The reason? PUBG Bots. Despite assurances that the controversial bots would not be in ranked matches, they won’t be removed – in fact, there will be more of them.

In order to combat the skill gap between vets and new players, a dynamic number of bots will be placed in each match – more for low-skill and newer players, and fewer as the players gain skills. Bots won’t ever fill team slots, they will only be enemies, and they will be limited in what they can do as well. While they can run, shoot and swim, they can’t lean, jump or use throwables for now – this, of course, limits them quite considerably.

Bots still count towards achievements, trophies and missions, so you can still use them to progress your account. Of course, bots aren’t the only major change here – the other big thing is one that will likely impact the PUBG esport as a whole – the matchmaking system.

The new ranking system

Ranked matches are nothing new, but the new PUBG ranking system is a league apart – after the new update, a new Ranked navigation option will appear in the Play section – complete with matches with up to 64 players. Ranked matches won’t ever have bots, and you’ll also see some restrictions on who can play and with whom.

Squad mates need to be within 10 divisions of each other, have completed their placements and be above Survival Mastery level 20 in order to be able to play together. Other rules include the map pool – Erangel, Miramar and Sanhok – increased loot spawn, no crossbows, no red zone, no motor glider and so on.

Ranks go between Bronze and Master and can decay due to inactivity. In a sense, PUBG will finally get a ranked system which can swing up and down based on your performance, instead of the previously preferred “grind as much as you can” system.

So… is PUBG dying?

Patch 7.2 is definitely filled with bold changes that will significantly change how the game is played and how players experience it – whether that’s for the better remains to be seen. Some players have already expressed their unhappiness with the changes – and their potential loss of interest in the game.

It’s too soon to place bets on how this will turn out – what you can, however, do, is get into PUBG betting. The PUBG Continental League is kicking off everywhere soon. Lots of esports betting providers are already offering odds, make sure to check them out!

Read next: PUBG Esports changes once again with PUBG Continental Series

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