PlayerUnknown Talks Xbox, Cross-Play, and Using Rare’s Water Tech!

PlayerUnknown’s Battleground is a legitimate powerhouse, becoming the first new game to overtake LOL without the help of a major eSport or other large marketing event.

Microsoft may lack the sheer number of high-profile exclusives Sony has secured for the PS4, but at E3 they dropped the bomb that they’ll be getting the crown jewel of PUBG first on consoles. PlaywerUnknown’s Battleground recently reported the Xbox release was right on schedule, aiming for a 2017 launch on Microsoft’s version of Early Access, and a full launch in early 2018. Microsoft’s version of Early Access helped secure PUBG on their platform. Hilariously, this monster of a game is still on Steams Early Access. Just imagine what it’ll be like when it’s done!

Brendan Greene – creator of PUBG – spoke with gameindustrybiz about their gargantuan success and what it’s like to work with Microsoft.

On porting an Early-Access game to Xbox

“…we use Unreal, and with Unreal porting to Xbox is simple enough. And now that we’re published by Microsoft, they’re sending people to our office in Korea, and in Spain, and they’re going to help port the game. The main development team still works on the PC version.

We’re doing the publishing deal because of the expertise they bring to it, and not just to the Xbox version, but the PC version as well. We run on Windows, which is a Microsoft product, and we’re working with them… to try and improve security that allows cheating to happen. It’s just strengthening that relationship with the people who make the platforms so that the Xbox and the PC version can be the best they can.”

On PlayerUnknown’s Battleground Cross-Play

“We’re looking into it. We’d like to see some form of cross-play, but we think it would only be fair if it was keyboard and mouse versus keyboard and mouse, or controller versus controller. But it’s still under heavy discussion.”

“There are games like Destiny that really get auto-aim and controllers in an FPS feeling good. And I think that with Microsoft’s help it’s really going to get it feeling like a good shooter on console. We want to give the same experience. We want to PC and Xbox to be identical in terms of the experience you have playing the game.”

On sharing water tech with Rare

“I was at the Microsoft event last night talking to the Sea of Thieves guys. They said they loved the game, they play it a lot, but, ‘Oh, you’re water.’ I mean, our water is not very good, but Rare has great water tech. They said, ‘We should share some knowledge.’ That’s a great thing about being part of a network of studios. We can get that water tech, essentially for free, and we can share stuff with them. That’s just invaluable, because their water is great. Having that would really finish off our world nicely.”

Microsoft must be ecstatic to land the biggest whale in the industry that is right now PlayerUnknown’s Battleground. This could influence many console purchases headed into Holiday 2017. Check out the rest of the interview at gameindustrybiz.