Some big changes are coming to how we loot in PUBG. For now, the features introduced in today’s update are limited to Rondo. The Market is now unlocked in Rondo. We first saw this teased in the trailers before Rondo’s release, and now it’s launching.
Using BR Coins, you can purchase pretty much anything in the game’s loot pool. The trailer highlighting the new update shows even guns typically found only in air drops or secret rooms are included.
Based on the patch notes, it won’t be too hard to get your hands on BR Coins:
- World spawn items
- Rewarded for completing in-game challenges
- Dropped from Pillar Guards (AI enemies near Grade 3 stations)
- Earned from selling items in your inventory
The Market stations will come in three variants (Grade 1, 2, 3), with Grade 3 including the best weapons/equipment. The devs posted a map of each station’s locations and it appears there are only two Grade 3 stations. One at Lo Hua Xing and another at Rin Jiang. Look for those places to become the new hot drops as everyone tries to get an early advantage by purchasing the gear at these Market stations.
You’ll also be able to earn loot and BR Coins with in-game challenges. Here’s an image showing the system in action.
Most players get three challenges. These can be swapped up to three times, but a completed challenge can’t be swapped. You’ll notice there are five challenges in the image above. That applies to players with a Survival Mastery level at or below 80. They receive what the devs describe as “two additional Newbie challenges.”
Primary weapons can not be earned via in-game challenges. The rewards are limited to BR Coins, healing items, equipment, secondary/throwable weapons, scopes, and attachments.
We’ll see how this Market and in-game challenge system shakes out. It’s hard not to see how most end-game fights will end up with teams equipped with the best items every match. And how will only two Grade 3 stations impact match flow? Hot drops were always a thing, but now there will be two locations with huge rewards on top of a bunch of early-game fighting.
And Rondo’s size already makes the mid-game a slog. Toss in a good chunk of the match getting wiped out fighting over two locations, and the match flow could suffer.
I’ll be firing it up this week to see how all the new features play out. Update 27.2 also includes the Emergency Cover Flare, which gives a huge option for cover in the final zones. The Pillar UAZ (armored), Battle Ready Kit (new heal), and changes to the sandstorm/blizzard also go live today.