An upcoming PUBG test build will eliminate Wonder Woman-style bullet-blocking

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"Limb penetration" means that incoming bullets won't be blocked by hands or arm. Expect to take more damage.

The Playerunknown's Battlegrounds test servers will return this week with a new build of the game incorporating a friend system, voice chat in the main menu, and a "limb penetration system." That last point might sound like some behind-the-scenes technical mumbo-jumbo, but it's actually important: It means player will no longer be able to block incoming shots with their hands. 

It's not that people were actively blocking bullets like Amazon warriors on a regular basis, but under the old system an incoming round would only damage whichever body part it hit first—so a hand or an arm that moved at at a pivotal moment could drastically reduce the damage from a hit that would otherwise ruin your day.   

Specifics on how the new penetration system will work weren't revealed but I'd expect that the shots will continue on their original trajectory into your skull/chest/naughty bits/whatever else tops your list of places you'd really rather not be shot in, and do some amount of reduced damage on secondary impact.   

The in-game friend system should be a big plus too. As for voice chat, well, it's nice to be able to talk to people, but we know how these things sometimes work out. PUBG Corp said the test server patch notes will be posted in a couple of days.

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.