PUBG: Battlegrounds changes the rules around player deaths in battle royale, bringing a new reroll system to the game called Recall. The mechanic will allow players to respawn a dead teammate and will help “ease the frustration felt when dying during team play.” PUBG: Battlegrounds says developer PUBG Studios.
PUBG Studios is also bringing official clan support to PUBG: Battlegrounds with the 23.2 update.
PUBG: Battlegrounds“The new booster system is generally straightforward and carries the necessary level of risk and scarcity that such an impactful change warrants. Here’s how it works: Players must acquire an item called a Blue Chip dropped by a player’s death box in order to revive them. They must then bring this chip to a Blue Chip Tower location, or use a rare item called a transmitter, in order to call back their dead teammate on the battlefield. Players can snatch Blue Chips from enemies in a death box to prevent them from respawning.
Image: PUBG Studios/Krafton
The recall is initially limited to PUBG: Battlegrounds‘ larger maps: Erangel, Miramar and Deston. The full breakdown of the Rules for Recall, Blue Chip Spins, and Emitters can be read in Official Krafton Patch Notes. The feature will go fully live on PC on May 17 and on consoles on May 25.
The other major feature of patch 23.2 is clans, which offer PUBG: Battlegrounds players a new level progression system. Up to 100 players can join a clan, which offers bonus XP and Battle Points (BP) when playing with clan members. Starting a clan requires Plus status and costs 15,000 BP, but joining one is effectively free.
In an email interview with PUBG Studios Production Managers Taehyun Kim and Sangkyun Kim, the developers went into more detail about the impact of Recall and Clans on PUBG: Battlegrounds. This interview follows.
Polygon: What led to the decision to implement callback? Was it a technical challenge for the team?
Tae Hyun Kim: We chose to introduce the new callback system, similar to Comeback BR, to provide a second chance for those who are eliminated at the start of a match and to reduce the frustration often associated with death during team play. We hope Recall will foster more dynamic and strategic gameplay with more variables and provide a wider range of gaming experiences.
Unlike Comeback BR, where you have to secure your own second chance, joining the game in Recall is entirely up to your remaining teammates. Their role is crucial in this system which we believe will make gameplay more accessible, especially for less experienced players.
Did you see Recall change the flow or outcome of matches during testing?
Tae Hyun Kim: During our internal testing, we frequently observed scenarios where a near-defeated team managed to get all of their teammates back in the game, subsequently putting in strong performances.
We also noticed more dynamic and strategic gameplay scenarios occurring near the Blue Chip Towers. For example, a team attempting to recall a teammate would sometimes find themselves eliminated entirely after a fierce battle near the tower. Alternatively, enemies would specifically target a player who had just been recalled.
Approximately how many Blue Chip Towers appear per phase or match?
Tae Hyun Kim: Blue Chip towers will appear randomly on the map, with approximately 22 towers appearing regardless of phase or match.
However, your ability to use these towers will depend on the plane’s path and the location of the circle.
What are the rules for spawning Blue Chip Emitters? What is their frequency?
Tae Hyun Kim: The Blue Chip Transmitter is a high value item, so its appearance on the map will be extremely rare. If luck does not work in favor of the players, it is possible that no one can use it for an entire game. Its rarity is comparable to that of the Flare Gun.
The clan system feels like a huge boost to player XP/BP gains – why such an incentive?
Sangkyun Kim: Clan benefits are provided when you play as a team with your clan members. By playing together, you will receive a double XP bonus, which increases your clan’s level faster, as well as a 30% BP boost.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is more enjoyable when played collectively, which is why we decided to expand the clan system, making it easier for players to find teammates.
In order to facilitate this, we offer various incentives to encourage players to play with their clan members. Playing together earns you Clan XP as a clan member and a BP boost as an individual player. This arrangement is designed to benefit both the clan and individual players.
To further clarify, Clan XP is only used to level up the clan, not Survival Mastery. Survival Mastery Level is a measure of an individual player’s reputation and honor, so we’ve decided not to include it in the clan perks.
Do you have a roadmap for the future development of the clan?
Sangkyun Kim: While we haven’t made any specific decisions yet, there are a few ideas we’d like to explore.
The current clan system is built with as few specs as possible because we needed to introduce it quickly. As such, we plan to implement features in the future that we were originally supposed to exclude, such as an advanced clan search feature.
We also believe that the sustainability of a clan depends on the ability of its members to cultivate a sense of belonging. With that in mind, we’re considering various enjoyable elements that could potentially enhance that sense of community among clan members.
