PUBG Season 9 will introduce a new map, a highly requested solo ranked queue, and a condensed Survivor Pass when it launches later this month. PC players will get access on October 21, while Xbox One, PS4, and Stadia survivors will drop in on October 29.
The new map Paramo is the headliner for the new season. Compared to previous maps, Paramo is a bit smaller at roughly 3x3 kilometers for 64 players, but it was designed to make good use of its limited size. Paramo is PUBG's first dynamic map, and as PUBG Corp. explains, it "includes a dynamic world system that changes major landmarks between matches, making every trip a unique experience where survivors must adapt their tactics".
Paramo is also more dangerous compared to previous maps. Its blue zone shrinks slowly but will kill you faster if you get caught out, and wandering outside of the active play zone for too long will kill you instantly. This being a volcanic island, you'll also have to negotiate streams of molten lava that can make short work of vehicles or your feet (and also the rest of you). These risks have been somewhat offset by the addition of a new healing item, the critical response kit, which can revive a downed player in just one second, aka a heck of a lot faster than a normal revive. There are also new item boxes and supply helicopters which you can damage in order to claim their cargo.
In addition to a new map, PUBG Season 9 will feature a new playlist: ranked solo queue. It's exactly what it sounds like: a way for players to climb the competitive ladder without relying on teammates, which is great news for people with smaller PUBG social circles or lone wolves who want to prove themselves. You can find the full ranked rules in the PUBG Season 9 patch notes.
This season is also making a noteworthy change to the Survivor Pass structure. Compared to previous seasons, the PUBG Season 9 pass is shorter at only 50 levels and will run for just two months.
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