PUBG: Battlegrounds is a free-to-play battle royale from PUBG Studios and KRAFTON for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Up to 100 players land with nothing, loot weapons and armor, and fight as the blue zone shrinks. You win the chicken dinner by being the last player or team alive.
What is PUBG: Battlegrounds?
PUBG: Battlegrounds is the battle royale that made the genre famous. Up to 100 players parachute onto a large map with nothing, scavenge weapons, armor and vehicles, and fight until one player or team is left. It plays as a grounded, realistic military shooter: bullets drop over distance, recoil takes practice and a single well-placed shot can end a fight.
The game is developed by PUBG Studios and published by KRAFTON. It entered early access on Steam on March 23, 2017, reached full release on PC that December, and has been free-to-play on all platforms since January 12, 2022. KRAFTON updates it with numbered patches. As of October 2026 the latest is Update 43.1, which arrived on PC on September 10, 2026 and on console on September 17, and started ranked Season 43.
| Fact | PUBG: Battlegrounds (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Developer | PUBG Studios |
| Publisher | KRAFTON |
| Release | Early access March 23, 2017; full PC release December 20, 2017 |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Price | Free-to-play since January 12, 2022; optional BATTLEGROUNDS Plus upgrade |
| Genre | Realistic battle royale shooter |
| Current update | Update 43.1, ranked Season 43 |
| Ranked map pool | Erangel, Miramar, Taego and Rondo |
This guide covers PUBG: Battlegrounds on PC and console. PUBG Mobile is a separate game with its own rules and ranks.
What is the objective of PUBG?
The objective of every PUBG match is to be the last player or team alive. You jump from a plane, land wherever you choose, and gather everything you need from buildings: guns, attachments, helmets, vests, backpacks and healing items. Vehicles help you cover long distances.
A shrinking safe zone forces the fight. Every few minutes the zone closes toward a random spot, and anyone caught outside it, in the blue zone, keeps taking damage until they get back inside. Red zones also appear at random and bomb an area after a short warning, so you need to keep moving. When only one player or team remains, the game congratulates them with its famous line: winner winner chicken dinner.
Over a season, the wider goals are levelling Survival Mastery and Weapon Mastery, earning ranked rewards and climbing the leaderboards.
How do you win a match in PUBG?
The win condition is the same in every main mode: survive longer than everyone else. What changes is your team size and whether the match counts for rank.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Normal Match | Solo, Duo or Squad (up to 4), up to 100 players | Be the last player or team alive inside the safe zone |
| Ranked | Solo, Duo or Squad queues, depending on region and platform | Same win rule; your Rank Points (RP) move with placement and kills |
| Arcade (rotating) | Varies by mode | Each Arcade mode sets its own goal, such as most kills in a deathmatch |
Matches can be played in first-person (FPP) or third-person (TPP) where your region offers both. Which maps show up depends on your region; Erangel is always in the Normal Match pool, and ranked rotates between Erangel, Miramar, Taego and Rondo.
How does ranked or progression work?
Ranked PUBG runs Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Crystal and Diamond, each with four divisions, then Master and finally Survivor, which is limited to a set number of players per region. You gain or lose Rank Points after each match based on placement and kills. Update 43.1 started Season 43 and raised RP requirements for Gold and above in Duo and Solo.
Ranked is part of the paid BATTLEGROUNDS Plus upgrade, which also adds a Survival Mastery XP boost and custom matches; players who bought the game before it went free received Plus automatically. Outside ranked, progression comes from Survival Mastery and Weapon Mastery levels.
Our PUBG ranks explained guide covers every tier, RP and Survivor in detail. All our PUBG posts are collected in the PUBG guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Land away from the flight path. Spots right under the plane fill up fast. Landing a little further away gives you time to loot.
- Always grab armor. A helmet and vest make a huge difference in a game where headshots end fights quickly.
- Watch the zone timer. Plan your move toward the next safe zone early, and use vehicles for long trips.
- Leave red zones fast. When an area turns red on the map, get inside a building or out of the area.
- Pick your fights. Shooting reveals your position. Only engage when you can win or when you must.
- Use cover and the zone edge. Playing the edge of the safe zone keeps most enemies in front of you.
- Practise recoil in the Training Mode. PUBG's guns kick hard, so a few minutes of spray practice pays off.
- Stay with your squad. Teammates can revive you after you are knocked down, but only if they are close enough.
How can Boosting Games help with PUBG?
Boosting Games sells fixed-price PUBG services, all listed in the PUBG services collection. Prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for your option shows before checkout.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| PUBG Chicken Dinners | A set number of match wins | From $9 |
| PUBG Survival Mastery Leveling | Survival Mastery levels | From $12 |
| PUBG Weapon Mastery Leveling | Weapon Mastery levels | From $9 |
Ranked climbs by division are priced on the PUBG boosting page.
Honest risk note: KRAFTON's terms do not allow you to share your account, and it can restrict accounts that break its rules. Piloted orders, where a booster signs in to your account, carry the most risk. Duo or self-play orders, where you keep your login, carry less, and coaching carries none. Read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, G-Coin, items, cheats or mods.
Get help with PUBG
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Related reading: PUBG Ranks Explained: Every Tier, RP and How Survivor Works, What is Apex Legends and how do you win? and What is Call of Duty: Warzone and how do you win?
PUBG FAQ
Is PUBG: Battlegrounds free to play?
Yes. PUBG: Battlegrounds has been free to play on PC and console since January 12, 2022. New players get a Basic account that covers normal matches and most features. The optional BATTLEGROUNDS Plus upgrade adds ranked mode, custom matches, a Survival Mastery XP boost and a few cosmetics, and earlier buyers received it automatically.
What does winner winner chicken dinner mean?
It is the message PUBG shows when you win a match by being the last player or team alive. Players often call a win a chicken dinner for that reason. Every normal and ranked battle royale match has just one, which is why getting your first one feels like such a milestone for new players.
What is the blue zone in PUBG?
The blue zone is the area outside the current safe zone. Every few minutes the safe zone shrinks toward a random spot, and anyone left in the blue zone takes damage over time until they get back inside or are eliminated. It forces players together, so planning your route to the next safe zone is a key skill.
Do I need BATTLEGROUNDS Plus to play ranked?
Yes. Ranked mode is one of the features included in BATTLEGROUNDS Plus, the one-time upgrade KRAFTON introduced when the game went free. Players who owned PUBG before it became free to play were upgraded to Plus automatically. Basic accounts can still play normal matches and Arcade modes without paying anything.
Which maps are in PUBG ranked?
As of Update 43.1, ranked rotates between Erangel, Miramar, Taego and Rondo, each with an equal share. Normal matches use a wider pool that changes by region, with Erangel always included. KRAFTON adjusts map pools with most updates, so check the map service report or the in-game lobby for the current list.
Is PUBG: Battlegrounds the same as PUBG Mobile?
No. PUBG Mobile is a separate game for phones with its own maps, events, ranks and rules. PUBG: Battlegrounds is the PC and console game covered in this guide. They share the same basic idea of surviving until you are the last one standing, but progress and ranks do not carry over between them.
Sources: PUBG: Update 43.1 patch notes, PUBG official site, PUBG: Free-to-play announcement, Patched.gg: Map service report 43.1, Wikipedia: PUBG: Battlegrounds.