Vikendi, the much anticipated fourth map for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, launches on PC test servers today before a full launch on 19th December, with a console release set for January. Based on a series of short preview videos I was shown earlier in the week and the following interview with Dave Curd, world art director at PUBG Corporation, I can safely say it’s the battle royale’s most creative and ambitious map yet.
The videos opened with a squad of PUBG players trudging through deep snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind them as a light scattering of snow fell from the sky. This then moved onto a flyby of a couple of brand new locations including a run-down, dinosaur-themed amusement park and the rusty interior of an abandoned cosmodrome, complete with old missiles and worn-out machinery.
This exaggerated and almost light-hearted approach to the level design may be an attempt to win over some of the Fortnite crowd, but there’s still plenty of scope in the map for more traditional PUBG arenas. Fans of earlier maps should be excited to hear I was shown several shots of a large town that featured multiple multi-storey buildings. This will be perfect for a more realistic urban combat environment, akin to some of the larger towns in Miramar.
