PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Microsoft exclusivity deal may be extended

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is already a Microsoft exclusive. Whatever that means (given that the title is already out on Steam and Windows) it will at least have Xbox One exclusivity for six months on Xbox’s Game Preview programme.

However, there are reports that this could extend by another six months, leaving a PS4 version of the game well over a year away. The report from Bloomberg, which was picked up by IGN’s news team, claims that developer Bluehole has been in further talks with Microsoft about the deal, following earlier talks with Sony.

"South Korea’s Bluehole Inc. has agreed to produce the game for Microsoft first by the end of the year and is likely to give the company a longer period as the solo console," the Bloomberg report says, quoting anonymous sources.

The success of PUBG has led to the formation of a new company, PUBG Corp., to help the growth and commercial interests of the game and its brand. Bluehole’s founder, Chang Byung-gyu, is now a billionaire ‘on paper’ according to Bloomberg who also quotes a Korean stock tracker that values the company at $4.5 billion.

The game recently hit headlines across the gaming press for smashing the concurrent player record on Steam, previously held by Dota 2. It also vented rather publically about Epic Games’ Fortnite introducing a Battle Royale mode for free, citing their deal with them as an engine licensee potentially being at odds with the release.