PUBG: "We'll Continue Fine-Tuning Aim Punch Carefully"

The developers of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS have published a new blog post discussing the outcomes of testing the updated aim punch mechanics. The post details improvements implemented in the second round of “Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch” and outlines the team’s plans for future adjustments. The developers emphasized their commitment to carefully fine-tuning this mechanic based on player feedback.

Hello players!

Back in January, we introduced a new form of aim punch through the Gunplay Labs. As we shared through our Dev Letter at the time, this system wasn't just about flashy effects — it was a new attempt to highlight the unique traits of each weapon class and bring a more dynamic, immersive feel to gunplay. Our bigger goal was to establish aim punch as a new balancing factor for future weapon and meta balancing efforts, helping shape more diverse gunplay. (If you missed it, you can check out the full breakdown in the Gunplay Dev Letter from January!)

Following that, we launched the Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch and collected a wide range of feedback through a player survey. In today's Dev Letter, we'd like to share the results of the Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch, the improvements applied in the second round of Gunplay Labs, and our future plans.

Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch 1 Results

From the survey we conducted during the first session of the Gunplay Labs, over 80% of respondents said they could clearly feel the new aim punch in action, and they also noticed distinct differences between weapon categories.

Regarding the visual effects, around 68% of respondents said the effects felt natural, while about 32% found them unnatural. While the overall response leaned positive, the percentage of negative feedback was still significant enough that we decided to take a closer look at community sentiment ourselves. Through that, we found recurring feedback expressing discomfort when getting hit.

As mentioned earlier, we had a clear vision behind the new aim punch settings. But since adjusting hit reactions is something that fundamentally affects the gunplay experience, we felt it was crucial to make sure players could adapt to it without major discomfort.

With that in mind, we made it our top priority to address the feedback around feel and immersion. After extensive internal discussions, we decided to implement two key improvements. And since the adjusted aim punch system also needed testing before going live, we scheduled a second round of Gunplay Labs for March.

Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch 2 Adjustments and Results

Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch 2 included a number of adjustments across different areas.

First, based on feedback that it was difficult to properly test aim punch in the Battle Royale mode, we used the Intense Battle Royale mode instead. As a result, compared to the first Labs, we saw an increase in player participation and nearly three times as many play sessions.

We also made two major improvements to the aim punch system itself.

First, on the visual side — as you can see in the video above — we focused on reducing excessive camera shake and elements that could cause 3D motion sickness. We aimed to make the effect feel smoother even in single-shot hit scenarios, maintaining a sense of dynamic combat while minimizing discomfort.

Secondly, we focused on feedback pointing out that in a game like PUBG, where mid-to-long range engagements are frequent, the lack of distance-based reduction of aim punch contributed to player fatigue. This, in turn, made it even harder to overcome positional disadvantages.

To address this, we implemented a distance-based reduction system for aim punch. Previously, aim punch levels didn't vary by distance, but to improve both realism and balance, we've adjusted the system so that they now decrease over range.

At the same time, we also took into account the feedback from many players questioning why SMGs had stronger aim punch than ARs. Considering the characteristics of each weapon class, it was true that Shotguns and SMGs having stronger aim punch than ARs even at mid-to-long range didn’t align with our goals. To address this, we adjusted the system so that aim punch for Shotguns and SMGs falls off more sharply over distance — to the point where, by around 30 meters for Shotguns and 50 meters for SMGs, their aim punch becomes similar to or lower than that of ARs. This change helps prevent SMGs from becoming overly dominant at longer ranges while preserving their identity as close-quarters specialists.

Overall, the distance-based reduction system for aim punch was carefully designed to improve the feel of mid-to-long range engagements, while ensuring balanced performance across weapon classes.

That said, we maintained our original approach in which SRs, Shotguns, and SMGs have stronger aim punch at very close range. Especially for SRs, since they're not rapid-fire weapons, we still feel it makes sense for them to hit hard in terms of aim punch. We also kept the system where aim punch levels vary by weapon category, in line with our overall gunplay update philosophy of reinforcing each weapon type's unique identity.

Gunplay Labs: Aim Punch 2 was introduced in the Arcade through Update 34.2, and we observed less negative feedback compared to the first round. Now, we're planning to roll out the updated aim punch system from the second Gunplay Labs to the live servers with the upcoming Update 35.1.

Future Plans

Currently, the same aim punch levels are applied to all weapons within the same category. However, we're planning to expand the system so that each individual weapon can have its own unique aim punch value — even within the same class. By using aim punch as a more precise balancing tool, we hope to deliver gunplay that feels both more realistic and diverse.

Gunplay is a core part of what makes PUBG fun, and since aim punch plays a big role in that — and is something players can immediately feel — we'll continue fine-tuning it carefully.

As always, we'll be listening closely to your feedback to make gunplay feel even better.