PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS

These problems melt away at long range, where I think PUBG is at its best. My favorite phase in a match is about 10 minutes before the endgame, when anyone still alive is geared to the gills but the circle is big enough that engagements are happening through 4X and 8X scopes. Each shot across a long canyon or field is a parabolic prayer—the target might've shifted three feet by the time your shot travels 300 meters and burrows into the dust, kicking out a particle effect.

PUBG is such a pure and fun experience that it overcomes its many flaws. There are glitches, there are crashes, there is jank. The game will probably never be fully done. But parachuting down onto that island feels new and exciting every time. A number of simple ideas comes together to make a great game and establish a great genre.

We’ve already seen Battlegrounds’ first “cousin” in the form of Fortnite: Battle Royale, which beat the game to market on console. Expect to see more in the coming years, as every AAA publisher finds ways to put its brands, talent and money into exploiting the language of the battle royale genre. I have no doubt a few of these games will be great. One or two may be superior to Battlegrounds.