Closing chapter - PUBG discontinues Xbox One support in significant update
In a significant move that marks the end of an era, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) has announced that it will be ending support for its Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (PS4) versions on November 13, 2025. This decision comes as part of an essential update designed to take advantage of current-generation hardware, enabling improved visuals and more stable framerates [1][2][4].
The news was first broken on PUBG's Korean site, where Krafton, the developer of PUBG, made the announcement. After November 13, PUBG will be available only on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Existing player progress and purchases on PS4 and Xbox One will be preserved, and players can continue on PS5 or Xbox Series consoles without needing to transfer data manually [1][2][4].
For Xbox players, an automatic upgrade via Smart Delivery will be facilitated. PS4 players, on the other hand, will need to download the PS5-specific version after November 13.
This decision is not surprising given the industry trend of live-service games moving away from last-gen systems to concentrate on newer platforms. Games like The First Descendant, Genshin Impact, and Rust: Console Edition have already made the shift due to hardware limitations or to leverage the capabilities of current-gen consoles [5][6][7].
Notably, Madden NFL 26 is confirmed to skip Xbox One and PS4, while EA Sports FC 26 will still launch on last-gen. However, Call of Duty's next yearly release, Black Ops 7, will still be released on last-gen, bucking the trend slightly [8]. On the other hand, Battlefield 6 is skipping Xbox One and PS4 entirely [9].
PUBG remains a popular game, with PUBG Mobile and PC versions regularly attracting over 700,000 concurrent players on Steam. Despite this, the shift towards current-gen hardware is a necessary step to provide a better gaming experience, optimize performance, and prepare for future content updates [3].
Rumors are already swirling about the next console generation, suggesting that the industry is slowly pulling away from last-gen hardware. As we move into the fifth year of the current console generation, both Xbox Series X|S and PS5 now receive a healthy amount of current-gen only games [10].
[1] PUBG's Korean site announcement [2] Article about the announcement on a gaming news site [3] Article about the trend of moving away from last-gen hardware [4] Article about the Smart Delivery feature [5] Article about Genshin Impact ending support for PS4 [6] Article about The First Descendant ending support for Xbox One and PS4 [7] Article about Rust: Console Edition ending support for last-gen consoles [8] Article about Madden NFL 26 and EA Sports FC 26 [9] Article about Battlefield 6 skipping Xbox One and PS4 [10] Article about the current generation of consoles
- Players excited for better visuals and more stable framerates will look forward to the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions of PUBG, as the game will no longer be supported on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from November 13, 2025.
- Xbox players can benefit from an automatic upgrade via Smart Delivery, while PS4 players will need to download the PS5-specific version after November 13.
- This move by PUBG, along with similar decisions by other popular games like Genshin Impact, The First Descendant, and Rust: Console Edition, indicates a trend in the gaming industry towards focusing on newer platforms and current-generation hardware.
- The shift towards current-generation hardware is not just about providing a better gaming experience, but also about optimizing performance and preparing for future content updates.
