The updated and reworked version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ first map, Erangel is almost here, along with the game’s fourth season. The full season 4 update is bringing some of the biggest changes the game has ever seen including the updated map, weapon and vehicle rebalancing, and a massive change to healing items. PUBG’s season 4 patch is currently available on the game’s test server and is set to go live on PC July 24. Season 4 will launch on consoles late this summer.

Season 4’s biggest change will be the new version of Erangel. Over the last several months PUBG Corp. has updated the map’s look as well as the layout of many of its locations. Popular spots like Mylta Power, Prison, Mansion, and Military Base have all gotten small overhauls, with newly updated buildings and terrain. There are also smaller changes all over the map. Hills have been leveled into open plains or moved to other areas, rocks and trees are in different locations, and dozens of small buildings have popped up all around the island.

The patch will also overhaul the game’s weapon balance. While there are plenty of specifics in the patch notes, the major takeaway is that there will be slightly less damage from weapons like the M4 and M16, and some slight buffs to shotguns and sub-machine guns. Even bigger than the weapon changes, though, is the change to healing items. The patch will also let players heal while walking, although the action will be canceled if they sprint or jump.

You can see all of the patch’s balance changes in the notes below, or you can view PUBG Corps.’ full patch notes for a look for a look at everything that’s changing in season 4.

PUBG Patch 4.1 notes

Weapon and Item balance changes

Buffs

Increased base damage of Kar98k from 75 to 79.

Increased per pellet base damage of S12K from 22 to 24.

Increased per pellet base damage of Sawed-off from 20 to 22.

Increased per pellet base damage of S686, S1897 from 24 to 26.

Increased effective damage over distance for all SMGs.

Slightly increased damage multipliers for SMGs:

Torso 1.05 (previously 1.0), Limb 1.3 (previously 1.25).

Increased damage multipliers for Crossbow:

Torso 1.4 (previously 1.0), Limb 1.2 (previously 0.9).

ADS zoom for default crossbow sight increased by 3%.

Laser sight attachment dispersion multiplier for pistols was decreased from 0.5 to 0.3 (non-ads shooting with pistols will now be 70% more accurate when laser is attached).

Nerfs

Reduced base damage of M24 from 79 to 75.

Reduced base damage of Beryl M762 from 46 to 45.

Reduced base damage of AKM and Groza from 49 to 47.

Reduced base damage of M416, G36, QBZ, SCAR-L and AUG from 43 to 41.

Reduced maximum bullet travel distance of all shotguns from 1000 m to 150 m.

Changes

Duckbill attachment now distributes bullets vertically instead of horizontally.

Crossbow will now have a visible tracer following the trajectory of the bolt for easier aiming.

Added top rail to Uzi to allow Red Dot and Holographic Sights attachments.

Vehicle balance changes

Buffs

Improved handling of RWD vehicles (Buggy, Mirado, Rony, Motorbike, Snowbike, Snowmobile, Scooter, Tukshai).

Regular and three-seater motorbikes stabilization improved.

Increased maximum speed of Scooter from 90 to 105 kph.

Greatly improved handling of Buggy and Increased Buggy’s wheels durability by 50%.

Increased max speed of Buggy from 92/115 to 100/125 kph (no boost/boost).

Increased HP of UAZ from 900 to 1200.

Increased HP of Tukshai from 500 to 1000 as well as increased max speed of Tukshai from 70 to 85.

Nerfs

Decreased HP of Mirado from 1000 to 900.

All motorbikes will now consume roughly 50% more fuel than before.

Decreased acceleration and boost multiplier rate for Dacia. Maximum speed will stay the same.

Dacia and Mirado vehicles speed will now be reduced by around 15% when driving on surfaces like sand, mud, grass, dirt.

When driving on rocky surface with any vehicle, friction will be decreased by 10% making them more difficult to control.

Introduced BRDM-2 specific vehicle damage modifiers per game mode.

Increased damage taken in Solo mode by 80%. Increased damage taken in Duo mode by 40%.

Changes

Implemented new Buggy and Mirado sounds.

Visual effect while using boost has been removed and replaced with high RPM engine sounds.

Improved aiming while inside vehicles to be more steady.

Improved the FPP camera view inside most vehicles.

New Features

Added auto-acceleration to vehicles (identical to auto-run feature).

Auto-Acceleration can be activated with ‘=’ key just like auto-run.

Added “locking” mechanism to BRDM-2.

Only teammates will be able to enter BRDM-2.

When all teammates exit the BRDM-2, it will unlock, allowing any player to enter.

Added Car Audio feature to play preset music while inside a car.

Only the driver can control this feature.

Car audio will stay turned on even after players exit the vehicle.

Turning the audio On/Off while inside a vehicle will play random music every time.

Use F5 key to play or stop the music, Use F6 to change music. The mouse wheel can be used to control music volume.

Music will stop playing automatically after a full song.

Music can be stopped by destroying or flooding the vehicle.

Healing and Boost Improvements

Healing and boost items can now be used while moving.

You’ll be limited to walking speed only. Press the use or run/jump keys to cancel healing/boosting.

Bandages will now be used continuously until the player fully heals to the maximum of 75% health, or runs out of bandages, without the need to manually use bandages multiple times.

Press the use or run/jump keys to cancel healing.

First Aid Kits can no longer heal additional damage you receive after the healing starts.

Previously, if damage was taken after the 2-second healing period had started, any additional damage received would be healed if the total healing amount was still 75% or less.

Erangel Blue Zone balance changes

We’re making changes to the Blue Zone on Erangel thanks to player feedback and changes in gameplay since the most recent Erangel rebalance. The experimental Blue Zone was trialed on the test server during the Erangel Visual Update, and based on player feedback we have applied a few more adjustments.