Seasons are changing very fast atPUBG. It was like yesterday we were talking about Vikendi, and now we knocked on Dave Curd’s door to talk about Sanhok, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable conversation again.
The Worlds, we had a pleasant interview with you for Season 6, and now, it’s a pleasure to be back together for Season 8. What’s changed on the PUBG side of your life between the two seasons?
I’m glad we could talk again, thank you for having me. The biggest change was the expansion of my role at the firm. PUBG trusted me to be in a more guiding position when it comes to seasonal content, and I did my best to keep its content (map design, gameplay, cosmetics, lore) in harmony this season. I’m also very pleased with that, being the “man who takes care of the maps” instead of being the “man who takes care of the whole picture” is both very stressful and extraordinarily satisfying.
How has theCovid-19 pandemic affected PUBG’s development processes? How did you spend your days
We’ve always been a global company. In our studios in Seoul, Madison, New York, Santa Monica, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Shanghai, we are spread all over the world. That’s why we have a virtual work environment that moves remotely and collaboratively
As our general headquarters is in Seoul (and Korea is one of the first targets of the virus), they have witnessed firsthand what the virus can do to society, taking what is happening very seriously and empowering us to do the same. I’m proud to say that we became the first game developer in Madison to decide to work from home, and the team never hesitated about it.
I miss our daily conversations, our companionship and the walks to the food truck, but the team really used the process of redesigning the Sanhok map as an escape from this difficult process. We have not had any difficulties in this process, which is something we care about at PUBG Madison. After all, we’re all in the entertainment business, and it’s happy to see the team prove itself in that regard. I hope this has created a smile on everyone’s face during the difficult period we are going through
This update returns to the beautiful old Sanhok. How did you decide to go back to this little island? What are the differences between the latest version and the old Sanhok we remember?
As before, we renewed Vikendi and Erangel, and we decided it was the right time to overhaul Sanhok. In the process, we listened to our community, provided invaluable feedback on Sanhok, and were very excited about implementing the changes they wanted to see.
As for updates, there are quite a few innovations, almost 40% of the map is different from before. We have our loot truck, the sweeping changes we’ve made in the old areas, our new weapons, and a touristy new city called Getaway.
Ym your favorite among the redesigned sections and why?
This question is asked a lot and I have difficulty choosing one of them every time. I think one of the things I loved most about this design business was reimagining what the players could do in Sanhok. For example, there’s a new camp on the map called Airfield, and there’s a glider in it so you can rise back into the sky.
I also love our new city, Getaway. There is a resort full of loot designed to pling tourists, including bars, a pier and a dance club
I meet the loot truck in Zone 8. How do you think this will affect the mechanics of the game and the way players move?
I have to tell you what a loot truck is before I can answer that. This is a truck that moves autonomously in Sanhok and transports loot from one region to another. There are four on the map at the same time. As you can imagine, players can attack this truck, and if they succeed, a very fertile trophy collection is waiting for them. I mean, they’re actually like mobile maintenance packages. Of course, the big prize comes with big risks, because attacking a truck means making yourself vulnerable to attack.
So yes, it will change gameplay mechanics and the way players move. Some players will prefer fire test for better loot, some will stay out of trouble, others will target players who attack the truck. All this indicates that things are going to get very complicated in Sanhok.
Players are also offered a new ranked season option with Season 8. What changes are there in ranked matches?
The most important change that our followers should consider is that the ranked mode will now take into account team ranking rather than personal ranking. We decided on this change after feedback from the community, which we think will make ranked matches even more contentious.
The old players must have missed Sanhok! If there are those who have stopped playing PUBG in the process, what can convince them to come back?
PUBG has always been a competitive game, for example, if you last played it a year ago, you will encounter a very different game when you try again. With each new update, we’ve improved the game a little bit and created a better experience for all our players in every way. I also think that ranked mode adds that real sense of excitement to PUBG. After all, PUBG is evolving, making us the most innovative Battle Royale game you can find.
Thank you so much for this delightful interview.
