TL;DR:

In 2019, there will be nine independent regions, each with its own series of pro competitions – North America (NPL), Europe (PEL), Korea (PKL), China, Japan (PJS), Chinese Taipei/Hong Kong/Macao, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Oceania.

All regional pro competitions will begin and end within the same windows called “phases,” which will take place three times a season.

All of the nine pro regions will be given an opportunity to send their top-performing teams to the Global Championship at the end of the season, which will have a prize pool of at least 2 million dollars.

All of the nine pro regions will be given an opportunity to send their top-performing teams to the Global Championship at the end of the season, which will have a prize pool of at least 2 million dollars. At the midpoint in the season, we will host the All-Star Games to bring together the most popular players from all over the world for a weekend full of fun exhibition matches.

We are in discussions with industry-leading third-party organizers to create other unique global events during breaks between phases, where best teams from each phase will compete internationally.

All regional and global pro competitions will adopt the universal ruleset for 2019 – FPP, 16 teams per game, 4-person squads, Erangel & Miramar, unified points system, and unified in-game settings.

Hey Everyone,

PUBG esports is about to get serious. Starting next year, we’re introducing official pro competitions in nine different regions around the globe. We’ll also be hosting numerous global events throughout the year, including the All-Star Games in August and the Global Championship in November where the #1 team of the season will be crowned. Read below to find out more!

Nine Pro Regions

In 2019, PUBG will recognize nine independent pro regions around the globe. Each region will have its own series of pro competitions that will bring the top regional talent together and give birth to the local champions.

There will be 6 regions with a “pro league” structure: North America (National PUBG League; NPL), Europe (PUBG Europe League; PEL), Korea (PUBG Korea League; PKL), China, Japan (PUBG Japan Series; PJS), and Chinese Taipei/Hong Kong/Macao. Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Oceania will have a “pro circuit” structure with a series of tournaments instead.

Globally Aligned Calendar

Aligning the competitive calendar across all regions is critical for building a season-long narrative with distinct periods designated for local competitions and regular season breaks that enable sufficient time for global events featuring top teams from each region.

The 2019 season will be divided into three phases throughout the year. Phase 1 will begin in late January and last until the end of March. Phase 2 will begin in early May and end in June. Phase 3 will start in mid-August and end in mid-October. All regional pro competitions will take place during these predetermined phases.

Global Events

Between Phase 2 and Phase 3, at the midpoint of the season, we will be hosting the All-Star Games. The most popular pro PUBG players from all over the world will be invited to a series of exhibition matches that will be differentiated from other competitions by their casual and entertainment-focused nature.

At the end of the 2019 season, we will be hosting the Global Championship, which will feature the best teams from each region who will duke it out for the ultimate chicken dinner. All nine pro regions will have an opportunity to send their regional representatives to this final showdown. The winner of the Global Championship will be crowned the undisputed champion of the entire season and take home a million dollars in prize money. We are exploring the possibility of adding other bonuses on top of the initial prize pool of 2 million dollars; more details will follow in the coming weeks.

We are also currently in discussions with industry-leading third-party organizers with the goal of creating other unique global events during breaks between phases, where the best teams from each phase will compete internationally. Stay tuned for more details about these global partner events.

Universal Ruleset

From the feedback we received, one of the greatest pain points for professional players and viewers alike in 2018 has been the discrepancy in the rulesets adopted by different tournament organizers. The wild variance in the esports rules prevented players from scaling up their skills and strategies efficiently, and forced viewers to learn how to watch the games every time a different event took place.

2019 will see all pro competitions, whether regional or global, third-party or first-party, adhere to a standardised, universal set of rules. Every pro competition will place 16 squads on Erangel and Miramar in first-person perspective mode only. There will also be unified settings for esports games with unique blue zone settings and item drop rates for ultra-competitive play. Every event will also follow the same points system, which is being re-designed to find the perfect balance between competitive gameplay and an entertaining viewing experience.

More details on each regional competition and global events will follow in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!