PUBG: First Person VS Third Person

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is a game about survival. Plain and simple. Some people choose to play it passively, and others choose to play aggressively. Although both play styles can be successful, the third-person perspective in PUBG tends to give players unfair advantages, allowing them to see enemies around corners without having to expose themselves to danger. It essentially rewards players for adapting a rather 'campy' playstyle. Up until recently, third-person perspective was basically mandatory if you wished to stand a chance of winning, even though the game allows switching between first and third person. The PUBG player base expressed their desperate need for a first-person-only server, and finally, the team over at Bluehole Studios have given the community what they needed. 



First-person only Singles, Duos, and Squad servers are now available, and they are quickly becoming the preferred servers for many players, including popular streamers. I've played roughly 170 hours of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds in third-person servers, and about 20 in the new first-person servers. Upon launch, the first-person servers were extremely unstable and glitchy. Now, the servers seem to have stabilized, and they run identical to the original servers. The biggest question now is which perspective will become the norm when it comes to competitive play, and what are the most prominent differences between the two? As I consider myself a pretty capable player and a decent critic, I'll break down the major differences, and ultimately, which perspective I prefer in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.

Perhaps the most important and most commonly asked question about PUBG first-person servers is whether or not they are more challenging than the original servers. As you could probably imagine, first-person servers are much more challenging due to the fact that your visibility is greatly hindered by the perspective, and you actually need to put yourself in harm's way to be able to spot and kill enemies. No more hiding behind a tree and spraying around the corner, killing unsuspecting players. The playing field is even, you can't look behind you while running forwards like normal human beings, and you can't hide in the grass while spotting enemies. Although you can still look behind you on vehicles for what ever reason, though it looks like your head detaches from your shoulders, but that's early access for you.



On top of the overall gameplay experience being more challenging, it also feels much more familiar. Shooting in first-person just feels satisfying. Smart strategy and bold moves are rewarded. Popular streamers and professional players are starting to play first-person only serves as their preferred game-type, and it seems unlikely that the Esports industry won't adapt to this new perspective as the norm. It's hard to think of a reason to keep playing the original third-person dominated servers besides the fact that it's become comfortable, and people simply aren't looking for the increased difficulty in an already extremely brutal game. 

At the end of the day, players who are familiar with FPS games will definitely enjoy the new servers better, as third-person fans will enjoy the original servers of course. Which perspective is better? Well, if you rate a game based on how fun and ultimately enjoying it is, then first-person servers have to be my choice. Playing in first-person, peeking around corners to fight people fairly, and the overall rewarding feeling of rushing a corner and brutally finishing off a wounded foe is amazingly enjoyable. My heart has never beat faster in any other game, especially in a top ten situation.

Overall, I believe that the majority of the PUBG community already have, or will switch over to the first-person servers, but there are definitely some players out there that will shy away due to difficulty. If you're new to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, third-person servers may be the best entry-level choice, but if you're a seasoned FPS player like myself, I would advocate for the new servers.  It's too early to tell whether or not first-person will become the dominant perspective, but at the end of the day, play what makes you happy. If you like hiding behind trees, then that's your right. Although, if you're looking for a real fight, I'll see you on the first-person servers.