PUBG 15.2 Patch Notes – what is coming in the new free-to-play Battlegrounds?

Big changes ahead in the new patch. Interesting times for PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds - let's look at some of the patch highlights

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The servers are currently down as Krafton transitions PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds to a new free-to-play model. the patch notes for the new 15.2 version – which is clearly the biggest landmark release in maybe five years of the game, so let’s have a look at some of the highlights of the new patch and what we can expect once the servers go back up.

PUBG 15.2 Patch Notes highlights

PUBG Tactical Gear

A huge introduction to the game sees the arrival of tactical items – tactical gear giving players something else to think about other than out and out gunplay.

Tactical gear will, interestingly, take up a player’s primary weapon slots so this should encourage a different way to play. Let’s have a look at some of the new gear we can expect.

PUBG Drone

The Drone is a Tactical Gear that allows players to scout a far distance safely and even pick up an item without facing the risk of direct combat.

• Drones will spawn in every map.
• Drones will be available in Normal Matches, Custom Games, Training Mode, and Sandbox Mode.
• Once players loot and equip the drone, they can hold the Drone Tablet in their hands.
• Players can then toggle in and out of Drone View.
  • The Drone will launch into the air once players toggle into Drone View.
  • A Drone in flight will make noise and have a distinctive blinking light.
  • A deployed Drone will be identifiable by a unique drone icon both on the map and minimap.
  • In Drone View, players’ characters will stop moving and give up control of their body as they fly around in the perspective of the Drone.
  • If players toggle out of Drone View, the Drone will remain hovering in its current position.
• Players can recall a Drone in flight.
  • When a recall is initiated, the Drone will attempt to fly back in a straight line to the spot the player recalled it.
  • The Drone will fly back to the location the player first recalled it.
  • When the recall is in progress, the recall will be stopped if the player attempts to use the Drone Tablet.
  • When the recall is in progress, the recall will be stopped if the player uses the recall feature again.
  • The Drone can not avoid obstacles or move through solid objects while being recalled.
• The Drone has a large 300m operation radius that players must stay in while flying the Drone.
  • The Drone alerts players with a warning message and a static screen when it’s within 90m of its maximum operation radius.
  • If the Drone leaves its operation radius, it will get destroyed and players will need to retrieve it and repair the Drone to use it again.
  • When the Drone’s HP reaches 0, it will fall to the ground and get destroyed. Players must retrieve the Drone and repair it to use it again.
• A Drone can loot a single item to its single inventory slot.
  • For example, a stack of bandages (5) is also considered a single item.
  • Drones can not pick up items from Care Packages, deathboxes, and trunks.
  • Players in Drone View are also able to drop the held item any time.
  • Players can receive the Drone’s held item by recalling the Drone.
• Players will be able to ping normally while toggled in Drone View.
  • The ping icon will be displayed as a regular ping.

PUBG EMT gear

The EMT Gear is a Tactical Gear that allows players to opt into increased healing potential for both themselves and their team at the cost of reduced combat flexibility. The ability to have a team-mate take on a medical support role could change the way a gunfight turns out dramatically.

New tutorial mode

With the arrival of a large influx of new players, Krafton has decided the time is right to do a bit of hand-holding and are providing two new tutorial modes to help new players get up to speed.

These tutorials will include basic training and AI combat to help sharpen your skills. There will also be a new Practice Range included. Krafton say they had observed players doing their own target practice on walls in the game so have decided to add a more “official” facility to get some aiming done.

PUBG 15.2 patch Quality of Life improvements

One of the things we are interested to see is the new Background Noise Reduction, which removes some of the other players’ noise with can be found distracting. Gunshots, vehicles, and so on will all now be reduced. the option will be enabled by default, but can be switched off should you so prefer.

PUBG 15.2 Bug Fix highlights

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed the issue of characters moving awkwardly after looking at their feet after using a boost or healing item in a prone stance.
• PC Only: Fixed the issue of players unable to use the Ctrl + V key in-game.
• Fixed the issue of characters moving awkwardly after looking at their feet after using a boost or healing item in a prone stance.
• PC Only: Fixed the issue of players unable to use the Ctrl + V key in-game.
• PC Only: Fixed the issue of the Porter turning black when moving under a shadowy area.
• PC Only: Fixed the issue of the Sandbox mode setting being turned to Off when a Partner account creates custom matches.
• Fixed the issue of the character moving awkwardly after switching to primary weapon right after using a throwable item.
• PC Only: Fixed the issue of crashes occurring when spectating players with animated nameplates equipped.
• Fixed the issue of guns’ ammo reverting to its default number of loaded ammo when replacing an attached Extended Mag to an Ext.QuickDraw Mag.
• Fixed the issue of the character maintaining the stance of holding a gun even after dropping a weapon in a vehicle.
• Fixed the issue of players being able to loot items from the Secret Room while using vehicles.
• Fixed the issue of a player’s ADS mode shaking severely after using a throwable item and crouching and standing repeatedly.
• Fixed the issue of C4s and BZ Grenades included in the care packages in Taego’s Ranked Matches.

Is PUBG on Xbox Cloud Gaming?

Well, this might be annoying for those of you who have been enjoying playing PUBG anywhere:

“As introduced in the Free-to-Play announcement, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is excluded from Xbox Game Pass due to the F2P service transition. As Xbox Cloud Gaming is a service offered to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is no longer supported through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Thank you for playing PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on Xbox Cloud Gaming.”

It seems like a bit of a technicality and hopefully one that may change in the future