Image via Krafton

PUBG: Battlegrounds went free-to-play just a few weeks ago, in an endeavor to "welcome new players" to the battle royale staple. That strategy seems to have paid off. Non simply did PUBG more double its average concurrent actor base later the switch, but information technology'southward now accomplished a staggeringly high rate of growth.

A press release from parent company Krafton revealed the number: PUBG increased its new player count by a whopping 486% — that's a higher rate than when the game first launched in 2022. The charge per unit is fifty-fifty higher in certain regions: information technology'south 537% in Southeast Asia and S America. That'southward a lot of new players to welcome, but every bit Krafton intended. Playtime is upwards likewise, with a 100% increase on PC and a behemothic 400% on PlayStation 4 and v.

PUBG creative managing director David Curd previously said that the switch wasn't because of Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Warzone, or other battle royale competitors. "We feel information technology is truly the right fourth dimension," Curd said when the costless-to-play change happened. With player increases like this, those words are existence proven truer and truer.

Krafton every bit a whole has stayed decorated beyond guiding PUBG: Battlegrounds into this new phase. Back in October, it acquired Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Nigh recently, it's sued PUBG clone Garena Costless Fire, proverb that game has washed wholesale plagiarism of PUBG. With such a free-to-play success rate, it's no wonder other games are trying to rip PUBG off.