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Josh Ye

This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Fortnite launched in China last night, but it’s not the only battle royale game in the country that allows players to build structures.
PUBG Mobile: Army Attack, a version of mobile PUBG only available in China (it’s kinda complicated) unveiled a new update called the Creator Project this week that allows players to build shields and ladders. They can also create a hologram decoy… or camouflage themselves as a rock.

The shield is especially cool (and useful). Players can deploy it in the middle of battle for some instant cover and watch it unfold like Iron Man’s suitcase armor.
Here is a video which shows many of the other new features in the game.

Holograms work as decoys, because they look the same as you do. You can also deploy an artificial bush which also functions as a device for disguise. Electric mines will zap your enemies and reduce their mobility when they stumble on it.
Best yet, you can even camouflage as a rock. No longer do you have to exploit bugs to blend into the scenery, now you ARE the scenery!

While this new update looks exciting, unfortunately it seems only Chinese players will get to experience it. That’s because PUBG Mobile: Army Attack is different from the PUBG Mobile that’s available around the world.
It’s a little confusing, but basically, while there’s only one PUBG Mobile game in app stores in the US and around the world, in China there are two. One is called PUBG Mobile: Exhilarating Battlefield, and one is called PUBG Mobile: Army Attack.
Both games are officially licensed, and both games were released by the same company: Tencent.
Four reasons why Fortnite hasn’t taken off in China... yet    
Exhilarating Battlefield, developed by Lightspeed & Quantum Studio, is virtually identical to the PUBG Mobile available around the world. Army Attack, developed by Timi Studio and released around the same time, is only available in China.
So, what’s different about Army Attack? Well, uh, aside from the new changes... not that much.
The two games look and feel almost identical. But experienced gamers say that Army Attack has better graphics, and Exhilarating Battlefield plays better. But again, these are very minor differences.

While making two PUBG games seemed a bit weird at first, now it seems like Tencent might have a reason for it. With this new update, Tencent seems to be grooming Army Attack to be more experimental and willing to depart further away from the original PUBG formula.
Fortnite has become this year’s biggest game by allowing players to build in combat, and the soaring popularity of Rainbow Six: Siege shows that strategic gadgets like shields and drones are every bit as important as guns in a shooting game. Their success shows that there is demand for more creative gameplay in shooters.
We won our first PUBG Mobile chicken dinner

For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.



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China’s other mobile PUBG is adding a feature from Fortnite

I mean, I could tell the rock was spinning. So maybe stand still the next time? (Picture: Tencent)

If Fortnite was a realistic military shooter, then maybe... (Picture: Tencent)

Abacus

Games

Tech

You can now build simple structures in PUBG Mobile: Army Attack


They may both be battle royale games, but Fortnite is clearly distinct from PUBG. One of the biggest differences? Fortnite allows you to build structures. Well, now PUBG will allow you to build too... but only in the other mobile PUBG game, which was only released in China. (It's kinda complicated, but Josh lays it out in this story.)


PUBG

Fortnite

Mobile gaming

Abacus - China Tech News