Image via Krafton

PUBG: Battlegrounds went free-to-play just a few weeks ago, in an endeavour to "welcome new players" to the battle royale staple. That strategy seems to take paid off. Not only did PUBG more than than double its boilerplate concurrent player base subsequently the switch, but it's now achieved a staggeringly loftier charge per unit of growth.

A press release from parent company Krafton revealed the number: PUBG increased its new player count by a whopping 486% — that's a higher charge per unit than when the game first launched in 2022. The rate is even higher in certain regions: it'south 537% in Southeast Asia and South America. That's a lot of new players to welcome, merely as Krafton intended. Playtime is up besides, with a 100% increment on PC and a giant 400% on PlayStation 4 and 5.

PUBG creative director David Curd previously said that the switch wasn't because of Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Warzone, or other battle royale competitors. "Nosotros experience information technology is truly the right time," Curd said when the free-to-play change happened. With player increases similar this, those words are being proven truer and truer.

Krafton every bit a whole has stayed busy across guiding PUBG: Battlegrounds into this new phase. Back in October, it acquired Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds Amusement. Most recently, it's sued PUBG clone Garena Free Burn down, saying that game has washed wholesale plagiarism of PUBG. With such a free-to-play success rate, it'southward no wonder other games are trying to rip PUBG off.