The latest phenomenon in the multiplayer survival genre, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is blowing up, and there are plenty of things to know before diving right in. Players are tasked with fighting the environment as well as each other on their way to becoming the last player standing. People who are already familiar with the genre should have no issue hopping right in and dominating. There are slight differences, but nothing is drastically changed to the point where these type of players will feel lost or uninformed. However, with new players entering the fray every single day, having tips and tricks to give you a competitive advantage could mean all the difference.
It's amazing how knowing even the smallest secret can make the difference, helping you place in the top ten instead of being eliminated early on. Remember that these tips are nothing if they're not paired with some common sense and a solid skill set. Have you ever wondered how your favorite streamer consistently finishes in the top ten? They've done their research, or more than likely, put in the time to learn the assets needed to take their game to the next level. So unless you're willing to commit some serious time to the trials and tribulations of learning on the fly, take some time to read 15 quick tips that could make all the difference. Do you have any additional tips and tricks? Feel free to leave a comment letting us know what other tips in PlayerUnkown's Battlegrounds are worth knowing.
15 Tired Out
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Dealing with vehicles in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds can be one of the more difficult experiences for newer players. Dealing with other players shooting at you is one thing, but having to deal with someone running you down in a vehicle requires an entirely different set skills and information. The one thing above all else is that you aim for the tires. You might have confidence in your abilities to pluck the driver as they're driving by, but unfortunately, you're probably going to miss. Now, I know you probably want to steal that car (and that might benefit you in the long run), but if you're just trying to survive, get comfortable with shooting out tires on moving vehicles. This will also have the added benefit of teaching you to hit moving targets in the environment.
14 Controlled Environment
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Many of these survival games tend to have a younger player base or maybe players who are new to the PC gaming scene. You have to understand how important it is to customize your controls when it comes to these fast-paced, competitive shooter/survival games. You need to figure out what scheme works best for you and adjust the control layout to benefit your play style while diminishing your own shortcomings. The beauty of PC gaming is that, with a little bit of tinkering, you can have a setup that's uniquely tuned. You need to figure out what feels best when accessing some of the most important tools and mechanics in the world of PlayerUnkown's Battlegrounds. Try to figure out what's the quickest and easiest way to access your inventory, to activate your sprint animation, to swap weapons and access the map.
13 Field of View
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This tip kind of goes hand-in-hand with the previous one. It's all about making the most of PC gaming's high level of customization. In PlayerUnkown Battlegrounds, finely tuning your UI can make a world of difference. Field of View, or FOV as it's more commonly referred to, is a graphical setting that can give you a tremendous advantage over your competition. The FOV slider is readily available in almost every PC game, and it should be a setting you customize at the beginning of every shooter you play. It allows you to choose how wide of a vision cone you have as you're playing. It's pretty obvious why this is important and leads to a great advantage.The more you can see, the less you can't see. You better believe that most of the other players that regularly make their way to the top 10 have an FOV that's pretty darn high.
12 Get Acclimated
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In order to succeed you need to know how to play, simple as that. The pre-game lobby is a great place to get better acclimated with how to traverse and shoot in the land of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Take this time to learn how to crouch, jump, sprint, and hide. Another clever thing that many players don't get familiar with is the type of spaces they can get through. The lobby features numerous fences with varying holes that you can test to see what you can and cannot get through. This covers the first of the two things I previously mention. Lastly, the lobby area has a ton of guns laying around that you can pick up and test-fire. Get used to how the gun shoots, and more importantly practice on your accuracy.
11 Chevro-legs
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Now, I understand that vehicles are fast. I get that you probably want to find one as soon as possible and get on the road. It's a lot faster to maneuver in a car instead of sprinting from area to area. Vehicles, in many instances, can and will give you a great advantage. The problem is that they're extremely loud and attract a lot of attention. If you're a newer player, your best chances of survival lay within going unnoticed as long as possible. A vehicle seems like a great opportunity, I get it. You should focus on learning how to move around the map on your legs though. Also, every vehicle you don't grab is just a giant alarm for someone you might have to kill later. Never turn down the opportunity to set a trap on a vehicle either. Use it to your immediate advantage.
10 Avoid Red
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If you're playing PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, you've probably played video games before. If there's one thing that screams danger in games, it's the color red. The areas on the PUB map are no different. These areas are not dangerous solely because they're filled with blanketing explosions — and that zone is going to move. You have to be able to realize the moment you happen to be in one of these areas. The explosions provide a secondary herding mechanic outside of the gas that slowly consumes the map as time goes on. You need to know that the moment you find yourself in a red zone you need to get out as soon as possible. That is unless of course, you're trying to play a whole new round.
9 Live first, Kill later
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One key component of these survival games is knowing that survival comes first. It's impressive to stack up kills because it raises your score and you gain valuable interactive experience, but you should focus on learning how to survive above all else. Knowing how to manipulate a firefight, and gain a competitive advantage, might not be that valuable if you're going to get yourself killed traversing the world. Survival skills are what could set you apart. Most players are going to focus on getting a kill, but focusing on surviving could help you climb the ranks. The skills that lend themselves to consistency tend to be the ones that are the least flashy.
8 Know Your Place
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We've already talked about a very important part of the map, the red zones, but this tip focuses on the map as a whole and your utilization of it. Learn to look at it early and often. Knowing where you are in relation to gas, red zones, and areas you've been could make all of the difference. The beauty of the map in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and many other survival games is that its layout doesn't change. The only thing that changes between games is spawning locations and item availability. This means that the more you play, the more comfortable you'll become with its layout. Checking it often allows you to understand your location relative to moving dangers. Also, make a point of learning where all of the landmarks are. This will provide huge dividends when needing to communicate in doubles or for any other reason.
7 Non-Weapon Essentials
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Guns are a very important part of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, but there's plenty of other items you need to keep an eye out for that could make all the difference. Your health is arguably the most important thing in the entire game. It's the primary factor in how long you survive. Make sure to keep an eye out for as many bandages and first-aid kits as you can. These are vital to your survival and lend to your confidence when it comes to firefights and their aftermath. How good is a gun if you can't stay alive long enough to effectively use it? You also want to keep an eye out for backpacks and vests. Other than the aesthetic upgrade they provide, they also increase your carrying capacity as well. This will allow you to carry more weapons, ammo, and healing items.
6 Wide Open Spaces
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That wide-open field might look inviting and relaxing, but please stick to buildings and valleys. You want to go through matches as long as you can avoiding open areas. Try to stay in and around buildings as often as you possibly can. The cover not only provides a tactical advantage but allows you to be near a ton of item spawn locations. The cover actually provides a two-sided advantage when used properly. It allows you to stay hidden from the many different players looking to start a fight. It also allows you to hopefully see other people before they see you. This gives you the opportunity to choose whether to engage or not. Being able to make this decision in the first place is a fantastic place to be. So remember, stay away from open fields and hug those buildings as often as possible.
5 Loot Like Crazy
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As soon as you land, you will want to get inside and start looting as soon as possible. If you can get a gun in your hands before the people around you, you're probably going to be in a good position. Remember that things don't respawn during a single match. This means that the loot available is finite and you probably want it in your hands and not your opponent's. Buildings provide natural cover as well as opportunities to create strategic advantages. Just make sure that you keep moving. The gas closes in faster than you anticipate and the last thing you want to be is a sitting duck. Make sure to get in and out of houses at a reasonable pace and depending on the situation, search thoroughly.
4 Use Your Manners
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We just talked about how important looting houses can be and the advantage it creates for you, but you need to be careful. A huge detail you need to pay attention to is open doors. They're giant targets that communicate that there's a new player in the building, or that the loot in that house is gone. You need to make closing doors behind you an uncomfortable habit. It should happen so often that you get to a point where it's second nature. You can, however, use open doors to create traps for new or naive players. Just make sure that you set yourself in a win-win position and that the timing aligns in a fashion that doesn't put you in an absolute dire predicament.
3 Free Falling
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You begin every match of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds the same exact way. You decide when you want to parachute out a giant aircraft above the playable map. Don't let your lack of patience get the best of you. Plenty of players get antsy and jump as early as they can, so the worst thing you could do is fall in an area populated with tons of people. As you play more and more matches your familiarity with the map and its landmarks drastically improves. Being able to identify these areas while you're in the air can help you decide when and where to jump. Also, you can manipulate the speed at which you drop. There may be players who purposely wait to drop along others to try and stack up kills. The only way to ensure your survival is to reach the ground before they do. To drop faster simply push the FWD key.
2 Locked & Loaded
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This is the part you've probably been waiting to read. Let's talk about guns. When it comes to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, there's a ton of guns and mods that you can get a hold of. That being said, there are two types you should stick with depending on your play style. Assault rifles are the jack-of-all-trades and are great in medium to long gun fights. Uzis and UMPs, on the other hand, are a fantastic choice if you like to keep things in close quarters combat. It's recommended to stay away from shotguns due to their sketchy accuracy and reload speed, though like most weapons, play around and see what works. Lastly, take advantage of weapon mods. They could be the only difference between living and dying sometimes.
1 Walk & Chew Gum
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You're going to need to be able to process information at a fast speed and be able to constantly multi-task if you want to succeed consistently. There are a ton of systems that you need to keep track of and it can quickly become overwhelming. The main things you need to start off paying attention to is gas, and its relation to the safe zone, and what's currently in your inventory. Being informed about these two aspects give you a great initial understanding of where you need to go and what you need to be looking for when it comes to loot. Prioritizing what items you need most comes in handy when gas is closing in, or the area you're in is no longer safe. Good luck, and just survive!