H1Z1, the free to play Battle Royale game on Steam from Daybreak Games, is coming to PS4. In a press release today, Daybreak Games has revealed that H1Z1 has been tuned specifically around console and the console gamer.
““H1Z1 on PS4 is true battle royale mayhem. We have reimagined the game for PlayStation 4 and have designed it to accentuate the essentials of battle royale that make the genre so exciting to watch and play,” said H1Z1 Producer Terrence Yee. “We have added key gameplay differentiators to keep the game frantic and fun -- an action shooter’s dream of fast-paced battle royale.”
These changes include a new weapon progression system, fully reworked UI, and new weapons and gear. Additionally, considerations have been made around the control scheme since a controller is inherently different compared to a more dextrous keyboard and mouse.
To that end, Daybreak have revamped the equipment system to be more grab-and-go. Loot collection and inventory management have been simplified. The HUD has been reworked as well in order deliver vital information at a glance. And unlike the PC counterpart, the PS4 version of H1Z1 does not feature a crafting system.
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Gameplay has also changed compared to the PC, moving to shorter 15 minute matches, in order to facilitate the faster, more action-oriented gameplay console gamers are accustomed to. Vehicle spawns have increased to encourage greater mobility. To that end, the team has created flashpoints around airdrops, which are now tiered (green, purple, gold) and deploy after each gas phase.
Weapon progression is tied to these airdrops as well, since players only start with access to close quarter weapons. New to the PS4 version is the addition of six new weapons, including KH43, Marauder, Combat Shotgun, CNQ-09, Scout Rifle and MK46.
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Additionally, the PS4 Pro version will be free-to-play, and will run at 60fps with the Open Beta kicking off on May 22. A Closed Beta starts later this month. You can sign up for that here. Should you so choose, you can preorder an H1Z1 bundle for $29.99, granting you unique cosmetic items in the Open Beta. This also grants you a dynamic theme at the time of purchase. PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive 20% off their preorder purchase.
Be on the lookout for my interview with Lead Systems and Combat Designer, Tony Morton, where I asked him all about the PS4 version, the Fortnite-elephant-in-the-room, and more.
