PUBG: New State is a modern take on the original game, coming soon to Android and iOS

The PUBG universe is expanding with a new mobile title for iOS and Android called PUBG: New State, which catapults the battle royale ahead in time for a more futuristic take on the massive multiplayer genre.

Set in 2051, PUBG: New State takes place years after the current PUBG games (which are set in approximately modern times) on a new map called Troi and promises to bring with it a slew of near-future weapons and vehicles, like drones and deployable combat shields. Based on the early images, it’s a similar vibe to fellow shooter Call of Duty’s semi-futuristic military tech from games like Black Ops 3 and 4.

The new game is also set to dive deeper into the lore of the overall PUBG universe, which is apparently a thing that surprisingly exists for a game whose most notable cultural signifier is the use of a cast-iron skillet as a weapon. What the time jump will mean for beloved PUBG characters like Lunchmeat, though, will have to wait for the game’s release.

New State also promises to shake up the formula for PUBG games, with in-game weapon customization options that will allow players to modify their weapons within a match in a way that sounds similar to Apex Legends’ weapon attachments.

New State marks the third battle royale game under the PUBG umbrella — although, unlike its mobile cousin PUBG Mobile, PUBG: New State will be developed by PUBG Studio, the company behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the PC and console version of the original game. 

(PUBG Mobile is actually a separate title developed by Chinese tech giant Tencent.) And despite the mobile nature of the title, PUBG Studio is making big promises of “ultra-realistic graphics that push the limits of mobile gaming.”

PUBG: New State - Everything We Know So Far

With PUBG Mobile banned in India seemingly for good, Krafton has revealed PUBG: New State. It’s a new battle royale game from the company for Android and iOS. Pre-registrations for PUBG: New State are live now. In addition to a gameplay trailer and pre-registration page, here’s everything else we know about PUBG: New State.

PUBG: New State Release Date

The PUBG: New State release date is slated for 2021 according to Krafton. With the ongoing PUBG Invational.S for PC, we won’t be surprised to see more information on a concrete release date soon enough. A PUBG: New State India release date is uncertain at this point.

PUBG: New State Pre-Registration Bonus

Pre-registering for PUBG: New State grants you “exclusive benefits” according to Krafton’s page for the game. While these have not been detailed yet, the company has stated that pre-registration bonuses for PUBG: New State include a Limited Vehicle Skin (Permanent).

PUBG: New State Pre-Registration Date

The PUBG: New State pre-registration date is February 25, 2021 and goes on “until official release” which should be some time this year.

PUBG: New State Android Requirements

You won’t need a brand new high-end Android smartphone to play PUBG: New State. According to Krafton a device with Android 6.0 and 2.5GB RAM should suffice.

PUBG: New State Gameplay

According to the PUBG: New State gameplay trailer out there’s a lot of footage in first-person view suggesting that the company may expand on this aspect of the game over the original PUBG Mobile. There’s a lot of fresh gunplay as well with a host of weapons too. As per the Google Play Store page, Krafton is touting “realistic gunplay optimised for mobile gaming” and tonnes of different weapon types and customisation.

<iframe width="439" height="247" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v-7XAgT1Z1w" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

PUBG: New State Setting

Krafton says PUBG: New State is set in the PUBG universe (no surprises there) in the year 2051. There are numerous factions complete with state of the art tech needed for survival and these make themselves known with the usual tropes you’d expect like drones and electric cars.

PUBG: New State Map

According to the PUBG: New State page on the Google Play Store, expect an 8x8km map called TROI “with a variety of vehicles” to help you get around. Interestingly that’s the same as PUBG Mobile which had 8x8km maps for Erangel and Miramar while Sanhok and Vikendi were smaller at 4x4km and 6x6km respectively.

PUBG: New State Graphics

Expect Global Illumination technology to make an appearance in PUBG: New State for realistic lighting if the game’s Google Play Store listing is any indication. It was previously rumoured that the game was running on Unreal Engine 4 same as PUBG Mobile so it will be interesting to see how Krafton take advantage of its now mature tech.

Is PUBG: New State Banned in India?

Considering that PUBG: New State is not developed in China, a ban seems unlikely. Through 2020 the Indian government had banned over 200 Chinese apps citing them to be “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”. While PUBG Mobile was not in the first wave of apps that were banned, it did eventually get banned in September. Sources familiar with the situation speaking to IGN India under the condition of anonymity state that the government has no plans to unban PUBG Mobile.

Krafton mentioned that development is helmed by “PUBG Studio, the creators of the original battle royale, PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS”. PUBG Mobile was developed by China’s Tencent which saw the game banned in India, one of Krafton’s biggest markets. Prior to the ban PUBG Mobile had around 50 million users in India. PUBG: New State appears to be an attempt to win this audience back. It’s unlikely that this version of the game would be banned as it’s not developed in China. However Krafton is yet to confirm if PUBG: New State will launch in India.

PUBG: New State will be available on Android and iOS later in 2021, with alpha tests also set for later this year.