PUBG player numbers are growing again. The game is caught in a perfect storm of new content, esports euphoria, nostalgia, and streamer boosting. For the first time since the lockdowns, player numbers in PUBG are growing and peaking to their highest point in over three years.

The reasons are plenty, but Krafton shouldn’t take this rise in popularity for granted especially since most of it was not due to their great actions.

Credit: PUBG Battlegrounds

Caught in a Perfect Storm

First lets take a look at the numbers (image above). PUBG hit a peak of xxx,xxx players yesterday, but the game has been steadily growing for over 5 months. Part of this can be attributed to some decent moves by Krafton in dealing with cheaters, and positive changes to the gameplay. However, a big portion of the playerbase returning is the fact that OG Battle Royale nostalgia is at an all time high.

Thanks to Fortnite Season OG, and paired with dipping interest and player counts in Warzone and Apex Legends which are mechanically more fast paced, we are left with a nostalgic feel for the “calmer” world of old skool Battle Royales with a slower game pace.

We are coming off a decently covered PUBG Global Championship with all the drama it caused over QMs plight, and a brand new patch and map to boot.

Credit: SteamDB

Finally, the return of famous streamers like Shroud, Summit1G and Dr Disrespect to the title over the past two weeks, does have an added boosting effect to the media cycle further boosting the games popularity.

Overall, we are now looking at a decent increase in player counts that will last for at least a month. If Krafton are quick in churning out bans to cheaters and pushing new content, we might have this numbers stay growing for well into 2024.

Today PUBG hit its highest peak player count since it went free to play January 2022. 📈

587,647 players online simultaneously!

Otherwise we have to go back to spring 2020 to see similar numbers 👀

WackyJacky101 (@WJacky101) – December 6, 2023

I have two requests to the developers; They would be easier server hopping and PUBG ranked solo queues for players. If EU or NA players can move freely around or play no-bot solo ranked, the game would be in a much healthier state.

I hope PUBG makes a grand return and more players return. It’s the Battle Royale of choice for me and many of my boomer friends.

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