PUBG is removing weapons from the spawn island in an effort to improve server performance

If you’re a player who enjoys picking up weapons and spraying them randomly while waiting for the plane to take off in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the developer has some disappointing news for you.

In an effort to improve the performance of the game and its servers, PUBG Corp. is removing weapons from the spawn island entirely in a new update on the game’s test server. Players will also spawn in multiple areas, too, instead of all in one condensed spot.

“Through the last patch, we were able to improve server and client performance by adjusting the visible distance while the character is in the air,” said a new update from the developers. “In the current patch we are spreading out the pre-match starting locations. Previously, all the players would spawn together at the same location awaiting the start of the match. Lots of interaction among multiple players in such a small area had a high impact on the servers. To solve this, we have introduced multiple areas where players gather before the match start. As a result, the performance, both server and client-side, has improved.”

By simply spreading out players on the starting island and removing guns, the game should run a bit better on PC. It seems too simple to be true, but the explanation definitely makes sense and would explain some early-game lag issues that players have experienced.

PUBG Corp. also said it would be testing a new anti-cheat measure that is still under development, but it’s necessary to gather data regarding its stability and compatibility. Because of this, some PC’s may experience issues during the test, which could lead to crashes.

Once the changes on the test server are stable, they will be applied to the live servers. The date and time for that update will be announced later.