PUBG is getting a $200,000 first-person Squads event at IEM Oakland

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ next big esports event has been revealed, as IEM has announced the PUBG Invitational at IEM Oakland.

The two-day event will take place Nov. 18 and 19 and will feature first-person Squads gameplay of 20 teams—10 invited and 10 that will qualify—fighting it out for a $200,000 prize pool. No invited teams have been announced yet, but the top team at the end of two days will receive $60,000.

“Everyone’s been waiting for the title that will come in and be a game changer for esports and it seems like PUBG could be it,” said Michal Blicharz, Vice President Pro Gaming at ESL. “It’s different, it’s new, and it’s growing at an unprecedented rate. We’re thrilled to be giving the game its competitive debut in North America.”

IEM Oakland will take place at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, which is the home of the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

“We hope this serves as another excellent opportunity to experiment with a different format,” said Changhan Kim, Chief Executive Officer of PUBG Corporation. “It is essential that we gain experience from events like gamescom PUBG Invitational and Intel Extreme Masters Oakland in order to take the right steps in the future.”

The gamescom Invitational in August was PUBG’s first real try at esports, and it showed some potential, along with it being a bumpy experience at times for viewers.