PUBG’s desert map update adds new UI, vaulting and more

Ahead of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ official 1.0 release launch on Dec. 20, PC players have the chance to get their first taste of the game’s new desert map, Miramar, on their test servers last night.

We spent an hour running around the desert, leaving behind the wide, open grassy spaces of the game’s original map and discovering what dangers lie in the desert. We immediately noticed some welcome changes to the PUBG formula that we’ve grown accustomed to over the last few months.

It’s funny saying that a desert can feel fresh and vibrant, but I immediately felt a rush of excitement dropping into Miramar for the first time. A handful of design decisions really help the desert landscape feel alive and totally different than what we’re used to.

As you fly over Miramar, you’ll notice the inclusion of areas that seem like cities, as opposed to the sparse towns found across PUBG’s first map, Erangel. Streets wind around a collection of buildings that come in various shapes, sizes and colors. Storefronts feature unique signage, which help them become more recognizable at a distance. And while these changes help Miramar feel radically different from Erangel, the design of these new cities have an additional benefit outside updated aesthetics.