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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is already a hit in the Xbox One’s early access program, but Microsoft is looking to bring more people into the battle royale game this holiday season with a special offer for Xbox One X customers.
Anybody who buys an Xbox One X starting Sunday will receive a free download code for PUBG, Microsoft announced today. The promotion runs from Dec. 17-31, so if you’ve already purchased the powerful new console, you’re out of luck. It is available “in select regions,” said Microsoft, so check with your retailer to make sure you’re getting the deal when you buy the system.
This will effectively be the first Xbox One X game bundle. Microsoft launched the console Nov. 7 for $499; while a number of bundles are available for the Xbox One S, the Xbox One X is currently sold only by itself.
PUBG launched Dec. 12 in Xbox One Game Preview, and Microsoft said today that “more than 1 million players” bought the game within its first 48 hours of release. That’s impressive, especially considering that the Xbox One version of PUBG is lagging well behind the Windows PC version, which just got a new map last week — Miramar, the game’s second — and will leave Steam Early Access on Dec. 20. PUBG debuted in late March on Steam Early Access, and developer PUBG Corp., a subsidiary of Korean studio Bluehole, has racked up sales of more than 24 million copies since then on Steam.
It’s also worth noting that the Xbox One version of PUBG suffers from occasionally severe performance issues. While the game definitely runs better on an Xbox One X, it’s still very much a work in progress — as with all Game Preview titles, don’t expect a polished experience. For more, read our impressions of PUBG on Xbox One and our Xbox One X review.
