PUBG announced today that the new 7.2 update will start adding bots into normal matches for PC. Bots had recently been added to consoles this past April, and many players have felt divided about their presence. The game’s devs have been very open about the process of adding bots, acknowledging how many kinks need to be worked out.
How do Bots Work in PUBG?
According to update 7.2’s notes, PUBG bots will only be appearing in normal matches. They will not be in the new Ranked mode that also came out in update 7.2. The amount of bots in a game will be based on all players overall MMR. Therefore, more skilled players will run into bots a lot less than inexperienced players. Also, player teams will not be auto filled with bots or have bots on their team at the start of games.
Bots can’t do everything players can, but will get more moves in the future.
As far as PUBG bot’s movements, they have a limited set of actions they can do. Bots can do basic actions like walk, run, shoot, swim, and low height parkour/ climbing. They can also loot and parachute. Bots at this point in time cannot lean, jump, grab ledges, or use throwables.
How Will Bots Affect Matches?
In a developer letter addressing bots, the PUBG team believes that bots will be a positive impact on player enjoyment. Acknowledging the skill gap between new players and veterans, PUBG devs realize that many newer players have tons of matches will no kills or damage done. Not only does this turn players away, but doesn’t allow those who want to get better have a chance to practice. Bots will be a way for new players to get kills and survive longer in matches. Eventually, those players will get higher MMRs and move away from bot-heavy games.
Bots will give inexperienced players the chance for more kills.
This all depends on how well the bots are programmed, of course. Oddly behaving bots could ruin player’s immersion, and overly skilled bots will just make it harder on players. PUBG devs stated in both the letter and update notes that getting the bots right is an ongoing process. The idea of bots in a battle royale game isn’t a new one, as Epic recently begun adding bots to Fortnite for much the same reasons. As singular game mode/difficulty titles, battle royale games must eventually solve the skill gap between new players and veterans, or risk new players not coming back.
