PUBG’s free-to-play version is shutting down

Krafton is calling time on PUBG Lite. The publisher took to the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds spin-off’s website to update fans that service for the battle royale game is wrapping up on April 29. Krafton didn’t offer much of an explanation as to why, though if you go to PUBG Lite’s homepage you can read the following message:

“We are deeply grateful for the passion and support from the astounding number of PUBG Lite fans that have been with us. During the strenuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope that PUBG Lite was able to provide our fans a fun way to stay safe. Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to close service after much deliberation and the time has come for our journey to end. We regretfully inform you that service of PUBG Lite is scheduled to end on April 29, 2021 (UTC).”

Krafton says the website has been closed and new downloads haven’t been possible since March 30, but you can still visit it and read the service termination notice at the time of writing. The PUBG publisher goes on to explain that service ends on April 29, whereas player support for Lite will wrap up on May 29.

The pitch behind PUBG Lite was reasonably simple – it was a modified version of PUBG that was easier for lower-end PCs to run. To hit the minimum specs, all you needed at the least was 4GB of RAM, a Core i3 2.4GHz CPU, and a DirectX11 Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU or something equivalent. PUBG Mobile also has a Lite version, so it’s something we’ve seen before.

PUBG Lite’s beta initially launched in Thailand in 2019 before opening up to players in other Asian and European countries. It received several familiar maps such as Erangel, Sanhok, and Bodie, though Vikendi was the last map to pop up. Later that year, the PUBG Lite team ditched L-Coins and made the game entirely free. The seasonal Lite Pass was replaced with missions, and all items became purchasable with free credits.

If you’re looking for more free PC games, you know where to click.

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