PUBG Mobile 1.0 finally arrives September 8 with a revamped experience

PUBG Mobile has technically been a pre-release product ever since its debut, but a “complete” version is finally on the horizon — and it’ll include significant changes. PUBG Corp and Tencent have announced (via Pocket Gamer) that PUBG Mobile 1.0 will be available on September 8 with substantial refinements to graphics, controls, and gameplay.

PUBG Mobile 1.0 announcement

You can expect more visual realism with improved models, upgraded textures, and a range of new effects for muzzle flashes, smoke, and other battlefield cues. The creators have also optimized animations for everything from parachuting to sprinting.

Controls have also received a revamp, including a “multi-screen switching mode” (the team wasn’t more specific than this). There’s also interaction with rifle scopes and a better-organized pre-match interface. You can customize your layout, too.

See also: The best battle royale games on Android

The developers also hope to liven up PUBG Mobile’s eSports scene.  They’re combining the PUBG Mobile World League and the World Championship into a single event, the PUBG Mobile Global Championship. A “Season Zero” for the series will start in late November and will have pros vying for a total of $2 million in prizes.

The organizers are hoping for in-person audiences when the league gets started. However, it acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic could easily relegate the Global Championship to a virtual event.

To some extent, the 1.0 label is a formality. As with the desktop and console versions of PUBG, it won’t fundamentally change the nature of the battle royale brawler. It does signal confidence in PUBG Mobile, though. The timing is also very apt. With Apple and Google pulling Fortnite from their respective app stores, PUBG Mobile may suddenly have a larger audience.