When PUBG Mobile was announced as an esport title in the Asian Games, a lot of players wondered how the game will play out. The official games committee was quick to announce that the Battle Royale title will have a special PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version for the multi-sport competition.
Now, fans have finally gotten a look at how PUBG Mobile is set to look at the 19th Asian Games.
Source: Krafton
PUBG Mobile to have target practice and racing in the 19th Asian Games
While it was announced a while ago that the Asian Games version will not have any violence, the gameplay has finally been revealed.
Posted by Liquipedia editor Hesketh on Twitter, the footage shows the gameplay from a Chinese tournament. In it, teams of four players have to drive around while shooting down targets.
FIRST LOOK: @EsportsPUBGM
Asian Games ver. part of this year’s Esports (as a medal) in the ASIAN OLYMPIC GAMES.
Olympics dont like Games that depict Violence they turned BR into Cross-Country Shooting
Drive to a spot > Shoot targets > finish line > fastest time wins
— hesketh2 (@subzidite2) June 03, 2023
The first to shoot down all the targets and reach the finish line wins. Additionally, the targets include stationary objects and also flying discs. Players will have to fine-tune their aiming practice to win in this, though.
The core experience of PUBG Mobile lies in its battle royale experience. However, the Asian Games will not have that. To curb violence, the multi-sporting event will only have target and shooting practice.
However, another sporting event, namely the SEA Games, also has recognized esports as a sport. In these games, teams play PUBG Mobile as a Battle Royale title. It doesn’t seem that the Asian Games will be budging from its anti-violence stance. With no violence and just racing and target practice, it remains to be seen how the viewership for the tournament is.
Perhaps fans will join in just to see regional glory happen for esports in the Asian Games.
Fortnite and the Olympics have the same story
Reducing PUBG Mobile to a racing and target practice game isn’t just something that the Asian Games has just done. The Olympic Esports Series will be featuring Fortnite in a similar format.
The gameplay of PUBG Mobile offers Fortnite players a look at what their game might look like in the Olympic Esports Series.
Read also: Fortnite and the Olympics: Marketing match made in heaven or desperate move?
The debate about whether reducing traditional gaming titles to be non-violent for events like the Asian Games is worth it ranges on. We took a deep dive into this debate in our article about whether esports even needs the Olympics. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t.
PUBG Mobile in the Asian Games: Quick TLDR
The 19th Asian Games, initially supposed to be held in 2022 had to be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the first time esports will be played as a medal sport. It was included as a demonstration sport, though, in 2018. The tournament will happen at the Hangzhou Esports Center in China. Before that, the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) is organizing the Road to Asian Games as a prelude for the main event.
Countries from across Asia will participate in different games, which include PUBG Mobile, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V, and Arena of Valor.
PUBG Mobile will feature a specific ruleset: Drive to a spot > Shoot targets > Finish Line > Fastest time wins. This is made to adhere to AESF’s no violence policy.
The seeding stage is set to happen on June 24 followed by the qualifying stage on June 25. The Finals will happen on June 26.
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