PUBG 17.2 Patch Rundown – How will changes impact esports play?

PUBG just got a fresh update today. With the PUBG Nations Cup fast approaching and other esports events on the horizon, we should recap how the changes will impact competitive play.

Patch PUBG 17.2 brings plenty of new tools into the game as well. There are a number of new training tools and other modes coming to the game that look set to spice things up. However, our main focus is on the weapon changes and tweaks.

PUBG 17.2 Update Weapon Changes

The weapons pool has been updated quite a bit with the new PUBG 17.2 update. This has been based on the usage rates and it’s likely that it’ll have a big impact on how competitive PUBG is going to be played.

These are the main alterations to the PUBG weapon pool:

• MK-12 – Usage for this weapon was lower than what developed expected, so it’s been changed. Recoil recovery has improved quite a bit and recoil speed has been adjusted.
• Mini 14 – This has had its damage slightly buffed, to 48 from 47.
• Mortar – The Mortar can now be used on any terrain as long as the deploy angle isn’t secured on water. It now takes up an inventory slot with weight set to 50 and can be picked up after use. This is going to spawn in stacks of 3-5.

In terms of competitive play, a single damage point on the Mini14 and a tweaked MK-12 mean a lot in terms of DMR favorability. Mini14 is the esports king when it comes to choice of DMR, and the new buff even further solidifies it as the main choice for most pros due to it’s “spammability”. MK-12 might get some love especially for edge playing teams that like to honker down on ditches and ledges.

Map Rotation Changes

Unlike Fortnite and Warzone, PUBG had a steady selection of maps that are available to players. However, some are pulled out of rotation sometimes to give a bit more space for others to get explored. Erangel, Miramar, Tsego, Sanhok, and Vikendi will be in the rotation with normal matches with Haven taken out. Ranked matches will still have Erangel, Miramar, and Taego on board.

We still only get Erangel and Miramar in competitive play and hope Taego makes its way in the rotation soon. As it stands, the changes in Map Rotation only impact Normal Game mode play.

Other Changes in the PUBG 17.2 Update

In the less impactful changes, we get some nice additions to training mode and and a tweak to the Spotter Scope.

Training and 1v1 Arena

A new training mode had been added, a 1v1 arena to practice up close solo fights. This is a fun addition that gives players a few different ways to play. You can play against other real players in 1v1s or spectate other fights. Many Battle Royale games have players asking for this type of realistic training tool for 1v1s, so this is going to be useful.

1v1 matches are played in 3 rounds, with the first player to get two wins taking the match. Each round has a limit of 60 seconds.  If a player dies, the round will end. However, ties are also possible between players.

Matches begin where you spawn in. Players can’t move or take damage for 3 seconds. HP is set to 200. Each player spawns on opposite sides of the arena, but switches around when each round starts.  There are two primary weapons and a secondary for players, along with a level 3 vest, helmet, and backup. The default weapons you get are the M416, SKS, Pan, Grenade, and P18c. However, you can also take in whatever you’re holding when you enter the match.

1V1 Arena is one of the biggest changes for Training mode in the PUBG 17.2 update. However, this mode has received even more new features with this update. A teleport feature has been added for quicker movement. Along with sound lab, and custom matches which have all been added too.

PUBG Battlegrounds

Spotter Scope

The Spotter Scope is going to see quite a bit of change with this update. The enemy detection tools are getting a rework here. Enemy detection range has been reduced from 1000m to 600m, a white passive marker will also no longer appear in ADS mode. You now have to hold the fire key which starts off a scan for enemies, a meter then appears on your screen. It takes a second for the meter to fill up. If you leave ADS, the scan stops itself and you’ll have to start again.

Once the scan meter actually fills up, you’ll see passive markers on enemies that are within range. This even includes enemies that are hiding in the smoke. You can run as many scans in ADS mode as you want, but you can’t start a new one until the last one is over. There is no longer a time limit to these markers too.

Alternatively to the full scan, you can tap the fire key to change passive markers into red active markets. An active marker now marks enemies for three seconds before turning into passive markers again. These will also disappear when enemies leave your line of sight. These are a lot of changes for the PUBG 17.2 update, but they should help the Spotter Scope feel fairer in play.

The PIUBG 17.2 Update has brought some decent changes to the title. However, there have also been some smaller changes that are still important for how things work. These are some of the more minor changes:

• Ducks – There are now going to be giant floating rubber ducks in the water. It’s just a decoration, but it’s a fun update to the game.
• Weather – Weather colors and textures have been changed across maps.
• Throwable Timers – Cooking timer UI has been added to throwables to help players better determine the right time for these items.
• Items in Driver’s Seat – Drivers in a car will now be able to use some one-handed items even while driving.
• UI Changes – There’s been some minor changes and rewording to the UI and UX in the game. Bug Fixes – As usual, there are plenty of bug fixes with this update.