PUBG adds Apex Legends-style ping system in latest patch

Apex Legends' ping system is one of this year's best FPS mechanics—and now PUBG has its own version. After this week's PUBG update, you can hold the mouse wheel to flag up an item to a teammate, call out an enemy location, request ammo or suggest a new position for your squad. Those messages will pop up on the left of your screen and some will also place a marker on your map.

The system seems pretty smart: when you ping an enemy, it will tell your teammates whether they're at near, medium or long range, along with the approximate distance in metres. When you ask for ammo, the message will include the ammo type for the weapon you're holding. The wheel menu has eight messages in total plus a central 'ping' option—you can see them all in the screenshot below. It should make communicating without a microphone far easier.

(Image credit: PUBG Corporation)

The patch also adds a new weapon, a ledge grab mechanic and an amphibious vehicle. The weapon is a Deagle—at 62 damage per shot it packs more of a punch than other handguns, but kicks harder too, making it more difficult to control. You'll find it on every map.

The new vehicle is the BRDM-2, which can take you across both land and water. It replaces the armored UAZ and you can only find it it by firing a flare gun first, calling it in as a care package. It's a beast, with heaps of armor and wheels that can't be damaged. The trade-off is that you and your squad can't fire your weapons when you're inside.

The last major addition is the ledge grab, which will let you traverse urban environments more smoothly. You can jump and grab onto roofs, fences and other obstacles, making it easier to leap between buildings or reach previously inaccessible spots. To grab a ledge, you just hold onto the space bar after jumping or vaulting—pressing the space bar mid-air will work too, if your timing is right. 

You can see the Deagle, the BRDM-2 and ledge grabs in action by watching the video at the top of this post. For the full patch notes, including performance and minor UI tweaks, click here.

Thanks, PCGamesN.

Samuel Horti

Samuel Horti is a long-time freelance writer for PC Gamer based in the UK, who loves RPGs and making long lists of games he'll never have time to play.