Great news, chaotic shooter fans: Battle Royale innovator H1Z1 is coming to PlayStation 4.
Developer Daybreak Games has announced that the game will debut on PlayStation 4 via an open beta period that will take place on May 22. It will be a free-to-play title that is open to everyone, but as with all games described as being in beta, those who jump on the game early will likely need to deal with some preliminary bugs and other “work in progress” features.
The console version of H1Z1 will feature some improvements and changes made to make the game more enjoyable on that platform. For instance, there’s now a radial menu in the game that makes item management easier, as well as a grab-and-go equipment system that greatly speeds up your ability to pick up weapons and items. Interestingly, the game’s crafting system has been abandoned entirely. That’s a pretty big alteration considering how valuable that skill is in the PC game.
The overall goal of these updates seems to be to increase the overall speed of the average H1Z1 match without compromising the core of the game. If you’re feeling a bit cheeky, you could say that these changes were implemented as part of the developer’s way to bring the game a bit closer to the style of PUBG. That certainly feels like it could be the case, but many of the changes outlined thus far do feel as if they were made specifically with the limitations and advantages of the PS4 in mind.
However, other alterations like an increased emphasis on gathering rare items from supply drops as well as unspecified alterations to the game’s “gas zone” designed to speed its progress do suggest that the H1Z1 team see a chance to capitalize on the fact that a notable, more grounded battle royale experience isn’t readily available on the PlayStation 4. In other words, PS4 gamers can’t play PUBG.
The team could certainly benefit from trying to fill that void, but it will really come down to whether or not the game itself is able to smooth some of the PC title’s rough edges and prove to be a worthwhile console experience. We’ll keep you posted.