Battle royale shooters continue to draw more players recently. Microsoft capitalizes on the opportunity with the Xbox One X plus a free copy of PUBG.
Earlier this week, console gamers were finally able to try out the popular team-based survival shooter. The game was previously exclusively available on PC via Steam.
A Surprise Holiday Deal
Close to a million console gamers have already participated online within the first 48 hours of its console launch, with more expected to join in the next coming weeks. Meanwhile, the PC version boasts an achievement of breaking the 20 million sales threshold.
It looks like Microsoft wants to gain even more through their latest holiday promotion. Consumers who purchase the Xbox One X from Dec. 17 until the end of the month will receive a copy of PUBG for free.
Buy a #XboxOneX and get PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS included. Offer begins on 12/17. #PUBG [T] https://t.co/mr8Xm6VgFu pic.twitter.com/L9HH1JAJKm
— Xbox (@Xbox) December 15, 2017
Normally, the game costs $30 on its own and is compatible with the older Xbox One system, which makes it hard to justify the pricey upgrade.
Furthermore, the bundle appears to be limited to select regions only. Therefore, users are advised to verify with their local retailers regarding the offer.
Playing Catch Up
The Redmond-based company seems to be aware PUBG's phenomenal success and wanted to have it as a console-exclusive. The Xbox One X, which is their current flagship game system, has reportedly failed to beat Sony's PlayStation 4 in sales as indicated by the latest retail reports.
Perhaps their new deal can effectively encourage consumers to take the $500 plunge as long as it's available in their area, according to CNET.
Parity Reports Vary
Given the top-shelf specifications of the Xbox One X and 4K gaming compatibility, consumers can expect the best possible experience when playing their games.
In fact, a report from The Verge claims that PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds visually performs better on the new console.
Meanwhile, other sources mention that the game's frame rate on the One X is not that far off from the last-generation unit.
Next-Generation Issues
The console performance issues reportedly involve the game's frame rate during gameplay. Microsoft has previously marketed the Xbox One X as the most powerful console currently available. The company lists 4K resolution graphics, HDR support, faster load times, and improved textures even when playing backward-compatible Xbox 360 games.
A test conducted by Digital Foundry approached the reported problems scientifically. In a controlled setup, the team played a 22-minute game of PUBG on each console respectively.
The older unit pushed a frame rate of about 25.6 frames-per-second while the newer device ran at 27.6 frames-per-second.
Their experiment concludes that PUBG performs almost the same on either system. Therefore, it is really up to the user if the other next-generation features are worth the Xbox One X's steep price tag.
