The End of PUBG? Playerbase Plummets

[Tribiz]

I played PUBG every single night (aside from weekly Tuesday maintenance in NA) for literally 2.5 years. When they introduced bots on April 1st, 2021, I though it was an April Fool's joke.
Sadly it was not.

I tried playing the 88% bot-filled matches. It was fun to get 20 kills and some easy wins. For a couple weeks...
It quickly became apparent that the game was no longer the uniquely hard-core, challenging, brutally hard, yet, incredibly satisfying experience that it was before.

Before the bots, it felt like victory to get a few kills. Now that they removed that basic thrill, the game lost all interest to me, and I haven't played it since - Going on 6 months now. And it looks like I am not the only one to leave:

(Steam data base link:)
https://steamdb.info/graph/

The game today averages just above 250,000 players at it's daily peak - the lowest in it's history - and down from 460,000+ just before the April 1st bot patch.. And unfortunately for those in the Western Hemisphere, those peaks occur at China's prime-time hours.

I wish the developers would not have implemented bots...
In the Battle Royale game that defined the genre, to allow bots to replace human players is like watering-down a Coca-Cola: There just isn't the same taste, or energy boost or sugar rush.
It's just a dull, diluted, non-carbonated, slightly discolored liquid.

I truly hope a game as fun and as memorable and as thrilling as the old PUBG comes out some day again. Until then, I and many others it seems, will have to wait.

[Elsyr]

Unfortunately I have to agree with Gulie, when something is too good to be true it usually is.

I have been coached and played with some pretty reputable players in the Pro scene, i.e. Pistola, XKriss - so I know first hand what good looks like. What you see in a casual lobby in PUBG most of the times is simply not possible. LVL 70 players spotting players with god like gamesense, out of this world snipping skills, incredible snappy sprays and on and on, this is all possible but as Gulie very well said, only the top tier players and some streamers can get there, which is why they are at the top.

Dont get me wrong, there are some amazing players out there that are not known, but their gameplay is organic, it makes sense, you take a look at their movement and it is in line with the way they shoot, they pick their fights, they are cautious, they do not play like they cannot lose because they know better.

Watching some of those replays you see the confidence they play with.. and you remember back when you were a level 50 - 70 player how shaky and hesitant you would go into fights. Then of course when you have a massive advantage because you go with a different level of certainty into any engagement, this is what I see taking over PubG and its really heartbreaking because it is a great game.

I refuse to accept that the game developers or the company supports this, rather this is an unstoppable force that is plaguing many other competitive games, look at what is happening in WarZone.

[Adler]

don't get me wrong guys ... i completly agree on the situation.

all people that say there are few hackers, i invite to join those mumble-talkers to join FPP EU solos.

funny how lvl 10s-200 wipe your arse in miliseconds.

[Lega]

vogs původně napsal:

I have been coached and played with some pretty reputable players in the Pro scene, i.e. Pistola, XKriss - so I know first hand what good looks like. What you see in a casual lobby in PUBG most of the times is simply not possible. LVL 70 players spotting players with god like gamesense, out of this world snipping skills, incredible snappy sprays and on and on, this is all possible but as Gulie very well said, only the top tier players and some streamers can get there, which is why they are at the top.

I wouldn't deny that but I don't have so many of those players in my matches.

Most low level accounts don't play like that but many 500 do.

I know solo is a different story but most people here don't play solo Fpp but still claim the same things.

[Poor Bastard]

Really have to stop talking about level like it means anything. If someone has been playing shooters on PC for years and then starts playing PUBG, then they are probably going to be good.

CSGO is the most popular game on Steam and the average CSGO player aims quicker and more accurate than the average PUBG player. I think this is because for many, PUBG was their first and only shooter they invested a lot of time into. So when they see flick shots they call hacks because they have no experience with competitive shooters.

[Lega]

Poor původně napsal:

Really have to stop talking about level like it means anything. If someone has been playing shooters on PC for years and then starts playing PUBG, then they are probably going to be good.

CSGO is the most popular game on Steam and the average CSGO player aims quicker and more accurate than the average PUBG player. I think this is because for many, PUBG was their first and only shooter they invested a lot of time into. So when they see flick shots they call hacks because they have no experience with competitive shooters.

The new account point has a good reason, why people name it.
It's one indicator for cheating if people play too well.

I don't say all of the cheat or something becaus your point does exist too but I wouldn't
trust them either.

[Elsyr]

Lega původně napsal:

vogs původně napsal:

I have been coached and played with some pretty reputable players in the Pro scene, i.e. Pistola, XKriss - so I know first hand what good looks like. What you see in a casual lobby in PUBG most of the times is simply not possible. LVL 70 players spotting players with god like gamesense, out of this world snipping skills, incredible snappy sprays and on and on, this is all possible but as Gulie very well said, only the top tier players and some streamers can get there, which is why they are at the top.

I wouldn't deny that but I don't have so many of those players in my matches.

Most low level accounts don't play like that but many 500 do.

I know solo is a different story but most people here don't play solo Fpp but still claim the same things.

Yep, neither do I, its not the majority of my experience.

Most of my experience playing FPP solo is normal gameplay, which consists in me making mistakes over and over again that gets me killed! :D

[Steini]

At the moment there are to many bots in normal matches! So why did they release a Mode with max 12 real players vs. Bots when normal lobbys are full of bots too?

So they can bring the map selection back too! We will be matched in bot-games so or so...
And the map rotation is the worst i have ever seen yet.

So why they don`t let us play the map we want? I have no problem to have to wait longer for a matchmaking.

New Patch, new weapon, new stuff... never had Taego since patch yet.... awesome!

Skins, Skins, Skins... seems to be the most important at the moment. >.<

[Gulie]

The experience Solo TPP in EU is more like:"Play 10 matches, leave 60 times since you get sanhok 6 out of 10. Report 2 people on average per match. Get reports in 2-5 days after. Resulting in 7 Permanent bans 1 24h ban that was extended 3 times (guess at least there was something fishy to the eye) but lets say users was not guilty. 2 Reports seem to be hoest guys with strange behaviour. Out of 10 reports. So that leves me with 70% reports (ending in a permanent ban) are with no doubt rightfully made. And that only if we asume the other 3 did not use any of the cheats/macros that are knowen to be not detectable (and I daubt that it is that way in all cases). Going by that I would claim the game is ruined to the core atm. either they do something about it or we will be left with a "Cheater Only Royal".

[Tribiz]

-H1GHT1MES- původně napsal:

Tribiz původně napsal:

On April 1st, a patch was released that greatly increased the amount and likelihood of encountering bots per match. Instead of 1 to 15 bots on a given map with 85 real players, they flipped the ratio entirely. Leaving the majority of the player base with no option to play non-ranked games without them being against 88 Bots.

again... bots were introduced BERFORE THIS YEAER>.. that part is apparently to thick for your head to grasp.


the ONLY DIFFERENCE was in april tHEY ADDED CASUAL MODE.... not bots.... bots were around for months before that patch.. again if you ACTUALLY PLAYED THIS GAME you would know this

sounds like you have been gone for awhile



booted it up started teh first qued game


didnt realise it was CAsual

WHERE YOU ONLY FACE 3-4 REAL TEAM OF PLAYERS MAX OF 12.... LIKE how hard is that to understand., crazy i use my vpn and play eu with almost no bots. US has always been dead lobbies thier normal games have an average of 30-50 players in each match ( when you check end game placement it will show you how mayn REAL PLAYERS were in teh match as the total = 1/34 3/46..... even though the in game showed 99! ... again... your lack of actualy fact checking anything other than steam charts is quite sad... i would love to see your source tat bots STARTED on april 1st and that we didnt have them prior to that.


what makes me really sad is you have an ultima online profile pic... and i can guarantee you still dontt even play ULTIMA free servers or id roxxor you all day...

Literally all your assumptions are wrong.

As I stated, the APRIL 1ST PATCH GREATLY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF BOTS. I know bots were around before. If suddenly I start getting matches with 10 to 15 real human players after a patch, in BOTH TTP and FPP, I am going to take notice.

And Yes, I play Ultima Online, have since 1999, and moved to free shards in 2003 because EA broke the game. Continue to play to this day, on Free PVP Shards.

This is my point. They broke that game. They are breaking this game. I can only hope they release a free pubg "shard" so people who don't want to play against bots, and cheaters while we're at it, can do so.

[Tribiz]

Der Paule původně napsal:

At the moment there are to many bots in normal matches! So why did they release a Mode with max 12 real players vs. Bots when normal lobbys are full of bots too?

So they can bring the map selection back too! We will be matched in bot-games so or so...
And the map rotation is the worst i have ever seen yet.

So why they don`t let us play the map we want? I have no problem to have to wait longer for a matchmaking.

New Patch, new weapon, new stuff... never had Taego since patch yet.... awesome!

Skins, Skins, Skins... seems to be the most important at the moment. >.<

This is true.

[Tribiz]

Lega původně napsal:

Tribiz původně napsal:

The game took a nose-dive, player count wise, AFTER the bots were implemented. Nearly HALF of the people who played in April left the game...

Well, no!

Look at how many % EU and NA had in June 2020.

https://gyazo.com/136ce411a182f4637f8a9b48c9f99d30

Do you think 2.5% of all players of PUBG is much?

I see you must not have checked the Steam verified link in the original post. Ya know, the one at the top of the screen? And why did you need to edit your reply?

Here it is again, with a direct link to PUBG's daily, weekly, and yearly player numbers, so you don't have to click on PUBG, or see it in relation to the other games on the list that are vastly out-performing it.
It's daily peak is down by over 37% since April, and that only lasts for a few hours between 7-10pm CHINA time.

(Steam data base link:)
https://steamdb.info/app/578080/graphs/

Again, the game is at it's lowest player count in it's history.

I don't see your need to defend against that fact.
Unless you just want to pretend your current favorite PC game is still doing as well as ever.

[Lega]

Tribiz původně napsal:

Here it is again, with a direct link to PUBG's daily, weekly, and yearly player numbers, so you don't have to click on PUBG, or see it in relation to the other games on the list that are vastly out-performing it.
It's daily peak is down by over 37% since April, and that only lasts for a few hours between 7-10pm CHINA time.

PUBG lost many more players long time before they introduced bots and there are a lot of others very good reason for it too. You don't like bots but others would rather take them if they could have the map selection back.

[Poor Bastard]

Tribiz původně napsal:

Here it is again, with a direct link to PUBG's daily, weekly, and yearly player numbers, so you don't have to click on PUBG, or see it in relation to the other games on the list that are vastly out-performing it.
It's daily peak is down by over 37% since April, and that only lasts for a few hours between 7-10pm CHINA time.

(Steam data base link:)
https://steamdb.info/app/578080/graphs/

Again, the game is at it's lowest player count in it's history.

There is nothing special about April 2021 on that chart. The player base has been on a slow gradual decline and that started years ago. Where on that chart do you see April having any special effect?

[thelizardofdoom]

I get that their will always be cheating but it's gotten so bad lately. I feel like several months ago it was in a decent place, but now it is REALLY bad again.