PUBG is getting an 8v8 team deathmatch mode

Update: The 6.2 update, with 8v8 Team Deathmatch, is now live on the PUBG test server. Changes have also been made to grenades, leaning and peeking right, visible blood effects, the parachute "follow" function, and the Karakin map. Full details are available in the patch notes at pubg.com.

PUBG is getting a team deathmatch mode with its imminent 6.2 title update, as part of a new Arcade branch of the game focused on new game types. Unlike the game's shortlived stab at TDM in 2018, this one eschews the sprawl of battle royale for tight, 8v8 matches across seven small maps set in existing PUBG environments.

The mode will be first-person only, with respawns and no friendly fire. There are eight Spawn Kits (loadouts) to choose from, and health regeneration will depend on your Boost Gauge: kills and assists fill it, and it'll gradually restore your health after not taking damage for five seconds. Matches last ten minutes, with the first to 50 kills taking victory. Expect to earn BP for your trouble, but there won't be any Survivor Pass XP rewards.

Of course, this doesn't mark a complete pivot for PUBG into Call of Duty territory. "For fans who prefer Battle Royale, not to worry," the announcement post reads. "Our core focus will always be to bring you the most realistic and intense Battle Royale experience out there."

The new Arcade branch will continue to grow too: the TDM mode will get new maps and tweaks, and expect "new and familiar game modes" to appear in the future. Check out the trailer for TDM below:

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.