While there’s more battle royale content then ever other there, but the game that started it all, PUBG, has been in the midst of a bit of a drought. It’s been nearly a year since the game’s last new map launched, but Krafton has now announced a July release date for its latest battleground. Thankfully, while it’s been a lengthy wait, it seems Krafton is packing a lot into their new 8x8km “Deston” map. This is PUBG’s densest map yet, with numerous POIs and urban sections offering tall structures you can climb and parachute off of. You can get an overview of the map below.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new Deston map…
New Map: Deston
Several elements and feedback from Haven were taken into consideration when designing the 8×8 map to ensure the look, feel and mechanics are PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS-worthy. Deston is the largest, tallest and densest map the game has ever seen. Throughout a match on Deston, players will experience dense urban settings with tall vertical buildings to rolling hills, plains and newly designed swamps. The map aims to deliver the sweet spot between fun gameplay and immersing players in realistic battlegrounds. Deston will challenge players to learn each biome of the map to understand how it will challenge them to consider different gear, vehicles and cover in order to claim a Chicken Dinner. See below for a more detailed look into the new biomes of Deston.
- The Swampland – In the northern part of the map, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS first-ever swampland has been created. This area is a unique environment, filled with new experiences for players. The dense and lush mangrove forest calls for many engagements to occur in close quarters.
- Central Plains – The central plains provide the traditional experience that players have come to know and love. Similar to Erangel and Taego, this area strikes a balance between cover, scenery and points of interest (POI) for players to explore. Located within the Central Plains is the Lodge POI and it’s the biggest building ever made in the game. Players can hot-drop into the Lodge and experience how some hunters become the hunted.
- Concert District – Party goers will have a ball in the Concert District as players will find a gigantic chicken balloon floating in the air. The Paintball Arena will also provide opportunities for short, medium and long-distance engagements. Players will want to familiarize themselves with this POI as it may come to the Team Deathmatch Mode lineup in the future.
- Western Highlands – Marksmen will enjoy what the Western Highlands area has to offer as players’ sniper and designated marksman rifle skills will be put to the test. With minimal plants and a broad level of visibility, unsuspecting players may find themselves in the middle of the crosshairs. The winding hills and the dry, rocky atmosphere in the deserted coastal island area will allow for more cover and hide-and-seek encounters.
New Movement Mechanics and Features
- Ascender – An entirely new movement mechanic is coming to PUBG: Battlegrounds to transport players around Deston when the map officially launches. The Ascender is a motorized pulley and players can expect to find them attached to the wall of certain buildings, including special Cell Towers. This new mechanic will allow players to seamlessly traverse from the ground to the top of a building and back down. Additionally, players will not have to carry any special items to utilize the Ascenders and its speed can be adjusted by the sprint key.
- Emergency Parachute – There’s no point in creating the tallest buildings ever introduced in PUBG if you can’t jump off them – which is why the always-on Emergency Parachute was created for players to jump from Deston’s heights without fear. The Emergency Parachute is a default item in players’ inventories and remains always-on, so the parachute will redeploy for players who may snag their parachute while dropping into the map and save them from the ground ending the match prematurely. Additionally, the special Cell Towers that have Ascenders on them will allow players to combine the Ascender with the Emergency Parachute and create a slingshot-like movement to travel around the map.
- Gas Pump Stations – Deston will introduce working gas stations for players to fill up vehicles as they’re traveling around the map. However, be warned that these Gas Pump Stations can experience the full effect of Michael Bay explosions if they are shot at.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia, and mobile devices (the mobile versions are a separate game with a different update schedule). The new Deston map launches on July 13.
