PUBG: Battlegrounds headed to Deston

Players have seen sneak peeks of the partially flooded, futuristic megacity map through Developer Letters and creative assets, however players can now get an in-depth look of Deston, which was revealed by Dave Curd (Creative Director at PUBG Studios) and Michael Gilardi (Lead of PUBG’s World Development Unit Madison) during a streamed Dev Talk event on June 25.

Below is a rundown of Deston and all the new features that were shown throughout the Dev Talk.

New Map: Deston
Several elements and feedback from Haven were taken into consideration when designing the 8x8 map to ensure the look, feel and mechanics are PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS-worthy. Deston is the largest, tallest and densest map the game has ever seen.Throughout a match on Deston, players will experience dense urban settings with tall vertical buildings to rolling hills, plains and newly designed swamps. The map aims to deliver the sweet spot between fun gameplay and immersing players in realistic battlegrounds. Deston will challenge players to learn each biome of the map to understand how it will challenge them to consider different gear, vehicles and cover in order to claim a Chicken Dinner.

• The Swampland - In the northern part of the map, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS first-ever swampland has been created. This area is a unique environment, filled with new experiences for players. The dense and lush mangrove forest calls for many engagements to occur in close quarters.

• Central Plains - The central plains provide the traditional experience that players have come to know and love. Similar to Erangel and Taego, this area strikes a balance between cover, scenery and points of interest (POI) for players to explore. Located within the Central Plains is the Lodge POI and it’s the biggest building ever made in the game. Players can hot-drop into the Lodge and experience how some hunters become the hunted.

• Concert District - Party goers will have a ball in the Concert District as players will find a gigantic chicken balloon floating in the air. The Paintball Arena will also provide opportunities for short, medium and long-distance engagements. Players will want to familiarize themselves with this POI as it may come to the Team Deathmatch Mode lineup in the future.

• Western Highlands - Marksmen will enjoy what the Western Highlands area has to offer as players’ sniper and designated marksman rifle skills will be put to the test. With minimal plants and a broad level of visibility, unsuspecting players may find themselves in the middle of the crosshairs. The winding hills and the dry, rocky atmosphere in the deserted coastal island area will allow for more cover and hide-and-seek encounters.

New Movement Mechanics and Features

• Ascender - An entirely new movement mechanic is coming to PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS to transport players around Deston when the map officially launches. The Ascender is a motorized pulley and players can expect to find them attached to the wall of certain buildings, including special Cell Towers. This new mechanic will allow players to seamlessly traverse from the ground to the top of a building and back down. Additionally, players will not have to carry any special items to utilize the Ascenders and its speed can be adjusted by the sprint key.

• Emergency Parachute - There’s no point in creating the tallest buildings ever introduced in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS if you can’t jump off them - which is why the always-on Emergency Parachute was created for players to jump from Deston’s heights without fear. The Emergency Parachute is a default item in players’ inventories and remains always-on, so the parachute will redeploy for players who may snag their parachute while dropping into the map and save them from the ground ending the match prematurely. Additionally, the special Cell Towers that have Ascenders on them will allow players to combine the Ascender with the Emergency Parachute and create a slingshot-like movement to travel around the map.

• Gas Pump Stations - Deston will introduce working gas stations for players to fill up vehicles as they’re traveling around the map. However, be warned that these Gas Pump Stations can experience the full effect of Michael Bay explosions if they are shot at.

New Tactical Gear: Blue Chip Detector
The Blue Chip Detector arrives as the newest Tactical Gear option with the launch of Deston! The Blue Chip Detector is a close-quarters version of the Spotter Scope, which will help players detect the location of opposing players within a certain radius. However, due to the delay in detection, the Blue Chip Detector does not display other players’ locations in real-time and it won’t show the exact vertical position when used in urban districts. The core gameplay of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS remains a top priority and feedback around the new Tactical Gear will be monitored closely once players get their hands on it.

New Weapons
Like all maps, Deston brings two new, exclusive weapons for players to get their hands on and try out during matches. The Origin 12 is a slug shotgun with superior accuracy and range to make it more efficient across all areas of the map. The MP9 is a new, high-powered SMG that specializes in close-quarter situations.