PUBG PC update 4.1 patch notes: Major changes coming in Season 4

PUBG update 4.1 is now available to play on the test server and will usher in lots of new changes ahead of Season 4. These include changes to Erangel, new items, changes to gameplay and weapon buffs/nerfs – all of which are highlighted in the patch notes below.

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Despite being a mature game in terms of its age, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds continues to receive substantial updates. PUBG are also changing the way they name updates, suggesting they still have long-term plans for the game.

Each season will include multiple updates and as such they will be named after the season and the update for that season. For example, the first update of Season 4 will be called update 4.1. If you’re a console player, you’ll need to wait until the end of the summer to get your hands on Season 4 content.

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Erangel visual update

In possibly PUBG’s most exciting update in a while, Erangel is getting a full makeover. Erangel is PUBG’s oldest and most iconic map and the team wanted to bring the classic map up to the visual standards of its most recent offerings.

“From standard complexes to major landmarks like Mylta Power, we’ve improved the graphical quality of Erangel’s various areas and terrains across the board,” TS Jang, PUBG’s Executive Producer, said.

It is more than remaster though, with various landmarks being added and changed entirely. There are also “various secrets to find” hinting at new areas and even Easter eggs to find.

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Weapon, item and vehicle balancing

PUBG have also been listening to feedback about how weapons, items, and vehicles affect gameplay, specifically, if any are over or under-powered. This has resulted in various buffs and nerfs.

• Read More: PUBG provide detailed update on how they deal with cheaters

Notable changes include a buff to the Kar98k’s base damage, a reduction in the base damage of the AKM and Groza and a significant improvement in the buggy’s handling and wheel durability. Full details of all buffs and nerfs can be found in the patch notes below.

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Heal while moving

Why can’t you heal while moving?! All PUBG players have asked that very question at some point but PUBG have listened to the feedback and now you can.

Bandages, first aid kits, energy drinks and any other healing items you can get your hands on can be used at walking pace – running will cancel using them.

The change should bring PUBG inline with other faster-paced battle royale games as now you can heal with greater ease during a gun-fight and not risk a sniper bullet to the head while standing still.

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Turntable added

Turntables which play music can now be found across Erangel. Whether you just want to chill out and listen to some music or bait some enemies into a battle, the turntable will add another element to the game.

• Read More: PUBG Nations Cup team rosters and exclusive in-game item revealed

What music will play is not yet known but given Erangel is based on communist Russia, the music could be interesting. Who knows maybe old PUBG theme songs will play.

Update 4.1 patch notes

The above aren’t the only changes coming in update 4.1 – all changes are listed in the full patch notes below.

Elsewhere, there will also be changes made to PUBG’s matchmaking logic.

Weapon & Item Balance Update

Buffs

• Increased base damage of Kar98k from 75 to 79.
• Increased per pellet base damage of S12K from 22 to 24.
• Increased per pellet base damage of Sawed-off from 20 to 22.
• Increased per pellet base damage of S686, S1897 from 24 to 26.
• Increased effective damage over distance for all SMGs.
• Slightly increased damage multipliers for SMGs:
  • Torso 1.05 (previously 1.0), Limb 1.3 (previously 1.25).
• Increased damage multipliers for Crossbow:
  • Torso 1.4 (previously 1.0), Limb 1.2 (previously 0.9).
• ADS zoom for default crossbow sight increased by 3%.
• Laser sight attachment dispersion multiplier for pistols was decreased from 0.5 to 0.3 (non-ads shooting with pistols will now be 70% more accurate when laser is attached).

Nerfs

• Reduced base damage of M24 from 79 to 75.
• Reduced base damage of Beryl M762 from 46 to 45.
• Reduced base damage of AKM and Groza from 49 to 47.
• Reduced base damage of M416, G36, QBZ, SCAR-L and AUG from 43 to 41.
• Reduced maximum bullet travel distance of all shotguns from 1000 m to 150 m.

Changes

• Duckbill attachment now distributes bullets vertically instead of horizontally.
• Crossbow will now have a visible tracer following the trajectory of the bolt for easier aiming.
• Added top rail to Uzi to allow Red Dot and Holographic Sights attachments.

Vehicle Balance Update

Buffs

• Improved handling of RWD vehicles (Buggy, Mirado, Rony, Motorbike, Snowbike, Snowmobile, Scooter, Tukshai).
• Regular and three-seater motorbikes stabilization improved.
• Increased maximum speed of Scooter from 90 to 105 kph.
• Greatly improved handling of Buggy and Increased Buggy’s wheels durability by 50%.
• Increased max speed of Buggy from 92/115 to 100/125 kph (no boost/boost).
• Increased HP of UAZ from 900 to 1200.
• Increased HP of Tukshai from 500 to 1000 as well as increased max speed of Tukshai from 70 to 85.

Nerfs

• Decreased HP of Mirado from 1000 to 900.
• All motorbikes will now consume roughly 50% more fuel than before.
• Decreased acceleration and boost multiplier rate for Dacia. Maximum speed will stay the same.
• Dacia and Mirado vehicles speed will now be reduced by around 15% when driving on surfaces like sand, mud, grass, dirt.
• When driving on rocky surface with any vehicle, friction will be decreased by 10% making them more difficult to control.
• Introduced BRDM-2 specific vehicle damage modifiers per game mode.
  • Increased damage taken in Solo mode by 80%.
  • Increased damage taken in Duo mode by 40%.

Changes

• Implemented new Buggy and Mirado sounds.
• Visual effect while using boost has been removed and replaced with high RPM engine sounds.
• Improved aiming while inside vehicles to be more steady.
• Improved the FPP camera view inside most vehicles.

New Features

• Added auto-acceleration to vehicles (identical to auto-run feature)
• Auto-Acceleration can be activated with ‘=’ key just like auto-run.
• Added “locking” mechanism to BRDM-2.
• Only teammates will be able to enter BRDM-2.
• When all teammates exit the BRDM-2, it will unlock, allowing any player to enter.
• Added Car Audio feature to play preset music while inside a car.
• Only the driver can control this feature.
• Car audio will stay turned on even after players exit the vehicle.
• Turning the audio On/Off while inside a vehicle will play random music every time.
• Use F5 key to play or stop the music, Use F6 to change music. The mouse wheel can be used to control music volume.
• Music will stop playing automatically after a full song.
• Music can be stopped by destroying or flooding the vehicle.

Healing and Boost Item Improvements

• Healing and boost items can now be used while moving.
  • You’ll be limited to walking speed only.
  • Press the use or run/jump keys to cancel healing/boosting.
• Bandages will now be used continuously until the player fully heals to the maximum of 75% health, or runs out of bandages, without the need to manually use bandages multiple times.
  • Press the use or run/jump keys to cancel healing.
• First Aid Kits can no longer heal additional damage you receive after the healing starts.
  • Previously, if damage was taken after the 2-second healing period had started, any additional damage received would be healed if the total healing amount was still 75% or less.

Visual Effects Improvements

• Optimized and reworked the visuals of the Molotov Cocktail.
• Optimized and improved weapon and vehicle shaders.
• Optimized and improved Frag Grenade explosion effects.
  • Different effects will be used depending on the surface the Frag Grenade explodes upon.
• Optimized and differentiated muzzle flash effects for each weapon.

Radio Message Marker Distance Adjustment

• The maximum range of automatic marker placement using Radio Messages has been reduced from 500m to 300m.

Implemented Solution to Alleviate FPS Affecting Rate of Fire

In February, we announced our plans and begun testing a solution to help alleviate FPS Affecting RoF. From the results of the testing period and after additional development work, we’re now adding the solution to the live server.

• Weapon rate-of-fire is now less affected by FPS.
• Improved rate-of-fire consistency at low FPS.

Erangel Blue Zone Balance Changes

We’re making changes to the Blue Zone on Erangel thanks to player feedback and changes in gameplay since the most recent Erangel rebalance. The experimental Blue Zone was trialed on the test server during the Erangel Visual Update, and based on player feedback we have applied a few more adjustments.

• The size of the safe zone in early phases has been reduced.
• Blue Zone waiting time in early and mid-game phases has been reduced.
• Movement speed of the Blue Zone during some mid and late phases has been decreased.
• Blue Zone waiting time for the final phase has been reduced.

Turntable Added to Erangel

Added a new playable Turntable which can be found across Erangel.

• Turntables are spawned randomly on Erangel. Press the use key to turn the music on/off.
• Turntables can be destroyed.
• Music played on the Turntable can be heard by all nearby players.
• Music will stop playing automatically after one song.

UI/UX

Character Customize Tab UI Update

• Customize tab UI update
  • Removed sub-tabs and re-categorized various elements under the customize tab.
  • Changed default sorting order of items by quality grade (previously date acquired).
  • Newly acquired items appear first temporarily until the notification is acknowledged.
  • When acquiring new items you’re now prompted to go directly to the customize tab by clicking the button on the popup.
  • New categories added:
    • Vehicle: New vehicle skins have been added.
    • Utility: Inventory is now located in Utility.
  • Menu background and character rendering
    • Effects have been improved to better fit the lobby background.

Store UI Improvements

• Added the Survivor Pass 4 page, where you can access the pass details page, purchase page, and pass progress.
• When purchasing an item in the store, you can go directly to the category screen of that item in the customize tab by clicking the button on the popup.

Weapon Mastery UI Improvements

• Improved UI elements such as icons and other aspects of the layout in the Mastery tab.
• The Last Match Report notification at the upper right side of the lobby will no longer show if no Weapon Mastery XP is earned in the last match.
• Time bonus values, which were incorrectly displayed in the match result screen, have been fixed.

Adjusted Plane UI

• Plane map UI now resizes dynamically when zooming in the map.

Wheel UI Improved

• Wheel size has been reduced, and its location has been moved from the center to the right side of the screen.
• Wheel responsiveness has been improved.
• Mouse direction indicator has been added to the center of the wheel.
• Removed screen blurring effect around the wheel UI.
• Order of items inside the healing wheel UI have been changed.
• Total emote wheel slots reduced from 12 to 8.

World

• Reflecting player feedback, the chance of Moonlight weather on Vikendi has been reduced to the percentage chance it had prior to the recent increase.
• In celebration of PUBG Nations Cup to be held from August 9 to 11, 2019, at Jangchung Arena, Seoul, we’ve made added various themed elements to the game!
  • PUBG Nations Cup decals, billboards, signs and a plane banner have been added.
  • For detailed information about PUBG Nations Cup, please visit the official PUBG Esports website.

Skins & Items

• PUBG Nations Cup Frying Pan has been released!

• PUBG Nations Cup Pan sales will be available from after July-31 live server maintenance, until August 14th (KST).
• PUBG Nations Cup Pan will be available for $9.99 USD (price may vary slightly regionally).

Performance

• Map loading speed has been improved.
• Improvements have been made to reduce instances of hitching/stuttering.
• Optimized calculation of character movement outside the player field of view to improve performance.

Replay

• The replay version has been updated. Past version replay files are now unavailable for use.

Custom Match

Observer UI Improvements

• Observer UI has been improved in the following areas:
  • Killfeed
  • Damage UI
  • Team and player list
  • Name layout and tags

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where map boundary collision could prevent the parachute from deploying.
• Fixed an issue where smoke grenades could float above the ground in specific situations.
• Fixed an issue where teammate UI wasn’t displayed correctly in Platoon Mode custom matches.
• Fixed an issue where Care Packages could fall outside the playable area.
• Fixed an issue where the exact dropped location of Care Packages could be marked by using markers deployed with the Radio Message system while the Care Package was mid-air.
• Fixed an issue where players could enter the BRDM-2 at speeds higher than intended, without receiving damage.
• Fixed an issue which could cause players to receive damage unintentionally when exiting a vehicle in water.
• Fixed an issue which could cause the R1895 animation to be played on another weapon in specific situations in FPP.
• Fixed issue where the Extended Quickdraw mag did not properly improve the reload time for the Tommy Gun and Vector.
• Fixed an issue where players behind walls could be damaged by vehicles in specific situations.
• Fixed an issue where the reload animation could be cancelled, yet still allow a full reload, when dropping other equipped weapons.
• Fixed an issue where certain sounds from other players could be heard when observing and switching between teammates.