Whilst our time at Gamescom 2025 may well be drawing to an in depth, we are nonetheless out in Cologne, chatting with the builders in the back of one of the most international’s most well liked video games. That features a sure Rick Li, the manufacturer in the back of PUBG Cellular, who we have been fortunate sufficient to sit down down with for an entire half-hour to speak about the previous, provide, and long term of the fight royale blockbuster.
Protecting the whole thing from user-generated content material to the way forward for aggressive PUBG Cellular, our dialog with Li provides an extraordinary point of perception into what is going on in the back of the scenes of one of the crucial perfect fight royale video games at the scene. It is price noting, regardless that, that Li had a translator for the interview, so now we have needed to interpret one of the most solutions ourselves. With that out of the way in which, let’s get into it.
Pocket Ways: So what I am taking a look ahead to this present day in PUBG Cellular is the user-generated content material, and I do know that there is been some checking out of that not too long ago in an alpha. I am simply curious concerning the choice to deliver that to the sport and the way it adjustments PUBG Cellular in a large manner.
Rick Li: That is an overly, superb query, and it is one thing that we have got been serious about very persistently ever because the International of Marvel mode first got here out. It has to do with the long-term technique for PUBG Cellular to in the end turn out to be a platform for the gameplay that we would like our avid gamers to revel in.
In all probability crucial phase this is that we have got very consistent dialogs and conversations with our avid gamers, and the principle comments that now we have gotten is that they’ve a necessity for self-expression and creativity. So we in reality need to equip them with the hands-on revel in to create the revel in they would like in PUBG Cellular. And that’s the reason kind of the reasoning in the back of the UGC content material we are speaking about.
One thing else we spotted as smartly is that our avid gamers are very, very tightly attached by way of the gameplay of PUBG Cellular, and that is the reason one thing that we need to proceed to inspire and develop. We need to supply them with an overly holistic ecosystem of UGC gameplay for them to make that kind of connection.
PUBG Cellular’s were given an overly robust social environment, and I am curious to peer how that weaves into the user-generated content material as smartly and the way it encourages avid gamers to have interaction with that.
We imagine that there are 3 several types of avid gamers throughout the International of Marvel ecosystems. As a result of it is a platform, we are going to have creators, as within the map creators, but additionally there also are avid gamers who play the ones maps. On the similar time, there are avid gamers who actively have interaction in commenting at the maps themselves. So the commentators supply comments, and they are very actively engaged within the inventive procedure.
So what we consider is, in the course of the means of creators growing the ones maps, there may be an concept from the very starting of the inventive procedure reworking into prototypes, and it continues to get iterated according to participant comments and the ones avid gamers enjoying the sport. So the 3 have an overly natural manner of interacting with every different within the ecosystem, and that creates a favorable comments loop that continuously provides to and fuels the creativity of the creators in order that they proceed making improvements to their maps, after which the entire different avid gamers can have interaction from a social point and give a contribution to the total well being of the ecosystem. In order that’s kind of the social connectivity that we are considering of right here.
PUBG Cellular has had a large number of nice crossovers with various things prior to now, be it Transformers or Murderer’s Creed. Will avid gamers have the ability to have interaction with the ones franchises within the user-generated content material whatsoever?
How we in reality have a look at it’s that from the common replace cadence, we installed a large number of effort in introducing new elements, playable units, and modules for our creators to make use of in order that they may be able to regularly toughen their maps. However particular to the crossovers and IP collaborations, the truth is it is made up our minds particularly for every IP and the way we negotiate with the licensor. It is our goal to herald as many IP collaborations into International of Marvel as we will in order that our creators can use that to proceed to output new and thrilling trending content material for the International of Marvel neighborhood.
With the crossovers, as a result of there are such a large amount of other ones that come to the sport, I am curious: what analysis do you do to introduce crossovers that you already know avid gamers are going to revel in?
We are regularly seeking to optimize that procedure, however internally, we basically search for two key elements. The primary is emblem are compatible, [we look at] the overall emblem standpoint and traits of the IP, whether or not or now not that matches what PUBG Cellular is as a online game. After which secondly, what does the IP have to supply, as within the distinctive options of the ones crossovers? It is our core goal to ensure that it connects to an overly deep and natural point of PUBG Cellular.
We do not want it simply to be, you already know, we’ve this crossover, and it is very, very shallow and surface-level. We in reality need to ensure that it is deep and will deliver certain participant reviews. So from the ones two pillars of rules and the way we have a look at those other crossovers, we generate an inventory of IPs that we imagine are compatible that description, after which we make the most of participant surveys to preliminarily test the total participant sentiment against those IPs. Then, we’ve interior discussions on tips on how to continue and the core inventive course for the collaboration.
Take Transformers, as an example. To start with, we checked out Transformers, as within the IP itself, and it has a large number of components that we mentioned, and it suits what we need to succeed in. So it has factions, just like the Autobots, and it has fight, so there are guns that we will combine. After which there may be this kind of excellent as opposed to dangerous, an overly direct storyline. It encourages teamwork, the place avid gamers are requested to return in combination and carry out the duty.
Then we search for that distinctive function. In Transformers, you spot a large truck, a 16-wheeler, turn out to be right into a robotic, and inside of PUBG Cellular, organically, we’ve cars as smartly. So the snapshot of that car reworking into one thing that you just power within the recreation that transforms right into a robotic, that is very interactive, and you are able to battle along them. On the similar time, they are characters that you already know and are aware of. That is the natural integration and perspective that we are in search of.
Are there any crossovers that you are nonetheless chasing or that you would like to deliver to PUBG Cellular?
Because of ongoing negotiations, sadly, we will’t proportion the main points and the precise IPs, as it is confidential, however we’ve labored with very, very well-known world IPs. We labored with Dragon Ball, we labored with Black Red, all other fields, crossovers into all other classes, past gaming itself. There are extra thrilling blockbusters which might be going to be new and carried out in very thrilling techniques, so please keep tuned.
Not too long ago, now we have noticed modes like Metro Royale offered into the sport, which adjustments the entire structure of PUBG Cellular. What is the reception been like internally, taking a look at avid gamers leaping into the ones modes?
Metro is likely one of the gameplay instructions that we are exploring. Actually, internally, there are a couple of other gameplay constructions and new mechanics that we are internally checking out, and Metro is person who stood out, after which we determined to deliver it to the target audience.
There is a distinction between the normal Combat Royale and Metro Royale. So in conventional BR, we are taking a look on the ultimate one status type; one squad emerges victorious, and that is the reason it. It is a standalone revel in, and while you move directly to the following fit, the former victory does now not affect how your subsequent recreation goes to move. So ever because the luck of the BR mode, we’ve had a large number of participant conversations to peer whether or not or now not we will combine one thing that gives a long-term development outdoor of the standalone suits.
Metro Royale presentations a large number of doable. We are taking a look at ways in which avid gamers can gather assets. They can loot and achieve other pieces, and they can make mindful selections on their methods for extraction. That permits avid gamers to make other, fascinating selections, each within the recreation, when they are deciding the loot and the timing of the extraction, and likewise about what tools they create into the ones suits. And that’s the reason kind of the target for us, to construct that long-term development and make allowance avid gamers to have goals that they may be able to proceed to chase for an extended time period. That permits us to hyperlink other video games in combination and create a distinct form of gameplay revel in.
In the previous few years, cell {hardware} has gotten much better. I am positive that opens up much more alternatives to experiment with the sport and the brand new modes that you’ll create. I puzzled if you should discuss to that a little bit.
{Hardware} could be very, very key to how we have a look at the total content material lineup. If we simply step clear of video games, era breakthroughs have all the time driven ahead the total building of content material, and it kind of marks the ones key milestones for the entire leisure that we are experiencing. So gameplay-wise, we are additionally taking a look at inventions that we will power ahead to supply new reviews, and the marketplace as smartly. Subgenres will see adjustments, and participant desire shifts over the years as smartly. So there are a large number of various factors that we are bearing in mind.
We in reality check out to take a look at it from the participant’s standpoint and in reality dig in to invite the query, what precisely does our participant need? The realization that we achieve is that what they are in reality in search of is an emotional connection. It is a resonance from an emotional point, relatively than any particular mechanics, so that you could discuss.
Should you take into accounts it, why do avid gamers play a recreation of their busy day by day lives? What kind of selections lead them to select a recreation as the one who they play each day, and the way do they socialize and have interaction with different avid gamers? What they are in reality in search of is tips on how to make emotional connections inside of that kind of gameplay, or inside of that fit.
Surrounding that core idea that we simply mentioned, we in reality have a look at tips on how to construct a recreation and to verify we encompass it with other options and content material for that core idea. For every replace, we can have some options that get us nearer and supply new reviews for our avid gamers.
So in case you attempt to visualize it, or in case you have a look at my notes, there are two intrinsic circles, and the way you have a look at our video games ecosystem is that the interior circle is the core Combat Royale revel in. That is the base layer, however for the outer layer, there are the gameplay modes that we are introducing to supply our avid gamers the revel in that they like. In order that issues to Metro Royal, International of Marvel, and likewise Workforce Deathmatch for a sooner gameplay revel in.
What it in reality comes right down to is we are in reality ensuring we meet several types of participant wishes. So in PUBG Cellular, there may be the house machine the place you are allowed to construct and enhance your own home. There also are social options that help you socialize higher with your pals. And there are aggressive programs in position the place we are in reality encouraging avid gamers to push for that aggressive facet of PUBG Cellular.
Simply to elaborate at the aggressive facet, esports is a kind of differently that we have a look at tips on how to amplify on that participant revel in. There are aggressive programs in position to verify we’ve a trail against the highest aggressive facet of PUBG Cellular. The eventual purpose this is to have tournaments and aggressive programs in position the place everybody can turn out to be a competitor. So now we have had tournaments the place over 150 other nations take part, and on this yr’s EWC, we generated top viewerships of round 1.38 million. So nice effects around the board.
What we simply discussed concerning the viewership and the participation in the end issues to the participant hobby within the aggressive facet of PUBG Cellular. What we in reality need to ensure that of is that we offer other areas the world over with other layers of esports tournaments and paths to the aggressive facet to inspire our avid gamers to have interaction.
Combat Royale is our base layer; that is crucial bit, and we will proceed to optimize and ensure we offer a brand new and optimized revel in for our avid gamers to fulfill the wishes that they have got supplied to us from the comments standpoint. We’re going to proceed the present construction of themed updates, the place we are bringing in several types of content material from a cultural standpoint and the trending standpoint as smartly.
Past Combat Royale, we’ve a couple of pipelines of various gameplay constructions in position for building. We’re going to make the ones bulletins when they are able, however for the impending replace, we will be introducing Unfail, which is the brand new gameplay mode for PUBG Cellular.
Circling again to what we started with, which is International of Marvel and the UGC facet of items, we’ve two core goals. One is we would have liked to amplify get admission to, accessibility to our avid gamers, to verify our editors and map creators are provided with assets and the toolkit so they can specific the inventive facet of items. And we additionally need to ensure that the mixing of AI applied sciences improves potency within the map advent procedure.
The second one phase is to construct the ecosystem of our UGC content material. A core a part of this is incentives for our creators, and we would like them as a way to benefit from the means of advent. That is the core goal: to have that sense of feat a few of the neighborhood after they make a banner map they usually get reward and likes. However we additionally need to ensure that they can obtain rewards and incentives to lend a hand them alongside the way in which, and due to this fact, from the facet of PUBG Cellular, we are ready to in reality lend a hand to construct that ecosystem for them that is extra sustainable.
In lots of portions of the arena, we need to ensure that this will get expanded into profession alternatives the place avid gamers are ready to create maps on PUBG Cellular and create new, thrilling, and trending content material for the neighborhood, and that may be their process.
There you might have it, our chat with Rick Li, PUBG Cellular’s manufacturer. For extra from Gamescom 2025, be certain to take a look at our Resident Evil: Survival Unit interview with Shinji Hashimoto and our I Hate This Position preview while you are right here.
