About the Game

Up to one hundred players enter the game by parachuting onto an island where they immediately start scavenging for weapons and tools to give themselves the edge over the other players. The unwary are despatched promptly as everyone is out for themselves, so be careful and make sure you watch your back at all times!

The game is not only compulsive as a playing game, it also has a tremendous following with those who love to watch gameplay footage. Set up your PC to record your gameplay and publish your best efforts to allow others to enjoy your demonstrations of your skills – or your most embarrassing moments!

Straight into Strategy

The player must focus right from the off, as the plane delivering them to the island takes a different route each time and players must try to work out the optimal place at which to land on the island.

The island is populated with ghost towns and bases in which equipment, armour and gear can be found and used to strengthen the player’s chance of winning. The corpses of killed players can be looted for whatever they were carrying too, and some areas offer greater danger but more valuable and greater quantities of loot, so are worth – cautiously – exploring while you are getting yourself kitted out.

The ‘safe zone’ on the island reduces as time passes, making sure that the chances of contact with other players remains high. Visible to players as a transparent blue barrier, the wall circles down into a particular spot that becomes, towards the end, the place where the final confrontation will happen.

Also, occasionally warnings will sound and areas of the map will turn red and get bombed. Players can flee these zones when the warning sounds, but the unwary might suffer fatal damage.

Remaining outside the safe zone is not instantly lethal. Instead, you slowly acquire damage until eventually – if you don’t take cover inside the safe zone – you are too damaged to survive. It is best to remain within the safe zone as much as possible in order to give yourself the best chance of staying in good condition for the battles ahead.

It’s Not All Bad News

While there are lots of players and environmental factors out there waiting to hurt you, there are also some unexpected benefits.

Planes will randomly fly over the island and drop packages bursting with good things, valuable items that are not customarily findable on the island. These planes also fly over in response to a player firing their flare gun.

However, the packages’ drop ignites a powerful red smoke trail which, understandably, attracts the attention of other players, near and far. If you are going after these treasures, be quick and careful and make sure you get in, nab the loot and get out safely again!

Ways to Play

• Solo: grit your teeth, put your head down and get as much high-end gear as you can find to fight your way to the top all by yourself

• Duo: team up with a buddy and work together to keep yourselves alive and kicking until the final showdown, then celebrate your win with a congratulatory fist bump or handshake

• Team: join up with two or three others and make a team that watches each others’ backs as you battle through the competition. A great way to play as you get to enjoy the camaraderie of having people on your side as you work against hostile territory and human opponents to come out on top

The population count is constantly with you: the number in the top left corner drops constantly, letting you know how close you are to winning (or being unexpectedly annihilated from behind!)

Playerunkown’s Battlegrounds for PC is available for purchase on Instant Gaming for a fraction of its retail price. You will receive an official key and be able to play the game in seconds. Play smart. Pay less.