KRAFTON reports record players increase after F2P transition

KRAFTON recorded a record influx of players to PUBG: Battlegrounds during the week following the game's transition to the free-to-play distribution model (which happened on January 12): the number of new users increased by 486% compared to 2017. In the CIS and Southeast Asia, the number of players increased by 537%, which resulted in a threefold increase in the number of matches created.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - January 25, 2022 - KRAFTON, Inc. today revealed that PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS was the top-ranked game on Steam during its transition to free to play on Jan. 12, 2022. The milestone was reached with more than 690,000 total active players dropping into the Battlegrounds. The recent free to play transition has not only made the globally popular battle royale title more accessible than ever, but it has pushed similar growth rates to when the game was first released in 2017.
 
In the week following the F2P transition, the game saw a 486% increase in new players, outpacing its 2017 player growth rate. Furthermore, new user growth increased at a higher rate percentage (537%) in specific territories, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Southeast Asia and South America. Additionally, the game has seen significant increases in average playtime when compared to the week prior to F2P, with average playtime on PC and consoles increased by 100% week-over-week while PlayStation players recorded a 400% increase in playtime.
 
Players have gravitated towards the new tutorials, which include the Basic Training Mode, AI Training Matches and Lobby Tutorials, making it the most-played content during this transition based on internal data. These tutorials are designed to effectively onboard new players and welcome back legacy players who have been away for a while. Additionally, the recently released Taego battleground and the fan-favorite Erangel battleground have been the most played maps since Jan. 12.
 
In celebration of the recent milestones and the recent F2P transition, KRAFTON will also be hosting a “Check-In Dinner Event” to reward its most active players. Any player that plays the game for at least an hour between 4 p.m. PST on Jan. 27 and 3:59 p.m. PST on Jan. 30 will receive special rewards for each day they “check in.” On top of that, players who check into the game at least three times now through 3:59 p.m. PST on Feb. 17 can also earn exclusive Orbital Vanguard skins. Each week will offer a unique color variation fans can earn (Cadet Green, Cadet Pink, Cadet Yellow and Cadet Blue) of the Orbital Vanguard skin. Those who collect all variations will receive a bonus fifth color variation - Cadet Red.