Epic Games might be setting new speed records for its weekly updates to Fortnite Battle Royale, but let's not forget that the game technically still isn't even out yet, but has remained in Early Access for almost a year, despite being treated as a full release in all major respects.
Meanwhile, H1Z1: Battle Royale released a PS4 Beta in May, racking up an impressive 10+ million player count in the process, and is officially launching the game next month, on August 7, as explained by H1Z1's producer Terrence Yee in a PS Blog post.
What's more, developer Daybreak Games is releasing a ton of new content and services for the free to play battle royale game to celebrate the upcoming release, including a new subscription which bears an uncanny resemblance to anyone who's spent more than a minute with Fortnite.
Yes, H1Z1 is getting a Battle Pass, complete with 45 day seasons, 30 unlock tiers, and an in-game currency that can be used to buy different items on an ad-hoc basis. It's unclear how much a Battle Pass will cost you, but seeing as Fortnite appears to have been the clear reference point for Daybreak, you could expect to see it in the area of £7.99/$9.99.
A small difference from Fortnite, however, is that PS Plus members have access to their own progression tier, which will unlock exclusive items as they progress throughout the season. On top of that, Daybreak will be adding an RPG, SOCOM Sniper Rifle, ARV vehicle, and a handful of purchasable bundles to H1Z1: Battle Royale, which include special costumes and skins to don during those nail-biting PvP matches.
H1Z1: Battle Royale will remain free-to-play as a fully launched product, but anyone who's been playing in open beta will have their progress transferred over to the full game with the incoming update, so owners of that classy unicorn mask need not worry.
For more last man standing deathmatches, see which games like PUBG or games like Fortnite might take your fancy before H1Z1: Battle Royale launches next month.
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