PUBG's new reputation system wants you to play nice
But can it encourage good behaviour among killers?
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has added a new reputation system in an attempt to encourage friendlier behaviour on the battlefield.
Arriving as part of patch 10.2 (currently live on the game's test servers), PUBG will soon slap a number from 0-5 next to your profile in the Team Finder, letting prospective squadmates know roughly how pleasant you are to play with. As long as you're not showing "toxic or otherwise disruptive behaviour", this number should rise steadily over the course of play as you complete matches.
Of course, if you're an arse, you might find your reputation level decreasing as teammates file reports. Regularly abandoning matches will also cause it to drop—and while being reported for cheating won't affect the number straightaway, being found guilty and receiving a ban will tank your reputation.
"Keeping in-game interactions healthy is important to us," PUBG Corp writes. "We know passions can run high on the Battlegrounds, but toxic behaviour is never justified."
It's a start, but one I feel currently falls short when compared to similar systems in games like Overwatch. Unlike that game's Endorsements, PUBG reputation doesn't let you directly reward players who positively impacted your game, nor does it incentivise good behaviour with loot. Instead, you're really just hoping to avoid being judged by peers who don't want low-rep teammates by their side.
Update 10.2 will also adds a nifty new hotrod, the Coupe RB, along with new stunt emotes to pull off while making sick motorcycle jumps. Ranked play is now also a little more generous in letting you leave early in certain situations, and there are plenty of smaller changes detailed in the update's official patch notes. If PUBG's previous patch is anything to go by, expect this update to hit live servers within the next few weeks.