'We are going home': PUBG's original Erangel map from Early Access is 'making a triumphant return to the battlegrounds'
PlayerUnkown's Battlegrounds is scrapping the new and going back to the old so players can revisit the classic Erangel map, which was the battle royale's first-ever battleground. It will be available on PC from May 14 and is "designed to evoke nostalgia for players who remember the early days," according to an official blog post.
You'll be able to jump back into OG Erangel, after live server maintenance, from May 14 to May 28, which leaves plenty of time to walk back down memory lane. A couple of things you can expect to see again include foggy and rainy weather, as well as the bench weapons on the starting island.
But it doesn't just stop at looks. The old map will also be bringing back the old UI and some mechanics. "Upon entering Erangel Classic, you'll be greeted by the familiar sight of a vintage world map and minimap, the match start timer, and the charmingly tacky font and graphics. It's a nostalgic journey that transports you to the past," the blog post reads.
There'll also be a slight change to firearms, with the team introducing reduced recoil in an attempt to replicate the old recoil. While this is a cool touch, it probably doesn't make as much sense as changing the UI or the look of Erangel. The recoil was updated for a reason and is what plenty of players are used to now. It probably won't cause too much pain, but it's still a bit of a hassle and one that some players aren't happy to see.
"I think this is terrible, tbh. The old look and feel, fine. But changing mechanics of recoil and enemy downing from one map to another just completely throws off any skill consistency players have managed to obtain over the years," one player says in reply to the announcement on Twitter.
Other than this detail, everything else seems to be pretty non-abrasive, with many players happy to see the classic map make a return. If you haven't secured a chicken dinner in a while, then it may be fun to jump back into the map that started it all and see if you still have what it takes.