PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds — or PUBG as the cool kids call it — has taken over the gaming world ever since it dropped last year. The Battle Royale-inspired extravaganza has been purchased by nearly 30 million users and has even spawned a couple of imitators. You know things are serious when this unfinished game almost won Game of the Year at The Game Awards. This is no small feat for a title which . It’s even enjoying great success on Xbox One, where it . The game is a beast.

Despite PUBG‘s insane popularity, there are still many who have yet to experience this unique multiplayer game for themselves. With so many users playing each and every day, it’s easy for newcomers to feel intimidated. While more seasoned players will certainly have a leg up (just like in any multiplayer), PUBG is still worth trying out; even if it’s just to see what the fuss is all about. With some practice, you too can get that sweet, sweet chicken dinner.

Below are some tips we’ve put together to get you started on your PUBG journey. There is certainly a lot more to learn, but this is a good starting point for beginners. Go get that chicken, boys and girls!

Happy Landings

When parachuting to the ground, you have the choice to land anywhere on the virtual map. You might be tempted to land somewhere with many large buildings which contain a lot of loot and weapons. The problem is, these areas are where others are likely to land as well. You can also land in remote locations, though items here are more sparse.

Unless you’re playing with others, it’s a good idea to land directly inside of small towns. Not only will you be able to find decent items, but you can use the infrastructure around you for cover. Make sure to land in places with smaller clusters of buildings on the outskirts of the map in order to minimize the chance you’ll land close to others. You want to avoid encounters until you find good gear and weapons. This is why landing in a place with a few buildings is crucial for survival early on.

It’s a Small World, Afterall

What differentiates PUBG from countless other shooters is that the playfield eventually shrinks. This makes things much more exciting since you can’t just park in one spot for the entire match. On your map, you’ll see a white circle and a blue circle. The white circle shows the next play area. Once you see that, you’ll want to plan a strategy for arriving there without getting killed. After some time, the blue circle will begin to close in on the white circle. If you’re outside the white circle when the blue closes in, you’re going to take damage and can eventually die.

Red Zones don’t happen often, but they’re worth keeping in mind. When this begins, a red circle appears on the map. Bombs will being to rain down randomly on the affected area. Any player not protected by cover runs the risk of being blown to pieces. It is best to run for shelter and hope you’re not killed along the way. Even when indoors, you need to stay away from doors and windows to avoid taking damage. Red Zones are no joke.

Smart players will use the circles to their advantage. It is safe to assume no one will sneak up behind you if your back is to the edge of the blue circle. If you know where the next play location is, you can also situate yourself in a bottleneck area and pick off players trying to get into the white circle. The location of circles is of utmost importance and it is wise to keep them in mind at all times.

Situational Awareness

Knowing your surroundings is essential. In order to see the world around you without moving, hold down the Alt key on PC or the left analog stick on Xbox One to swivel the camera freely. Doing this will lower the chances of someone catching you off guard. This isn’t a feature the game tells you about, but it’s among the most helpful. In general, you’ll want to get used to the controls to the point where they become second nature. A single moment of hesitation could make the difference between victory and defeat.

Wait… What’s That Noise?

Just as with sight, sound plays an important part in PUBG. You’ll either want to turn up the volume on your monitor/TV or wear a really good pair of headphones. Players make noise whenever they run, drive vehicles, or shoot. Knowing where sounds come from will help you determine the location of others and thus keep you alive longer.

Conversely, you’ll want to limit the amount of noise you make while traversing the world. Someone may not be able to see you run, but they will hear you. Try to walk whenever possible to make yourself harder to track. This way, you can take out noisy players who don’t hear you coming. Embrace your inner ninja!

Ready, Aim…

You can aim down the sights of weapons by holding the Shift key (PC) or tapping Left Trigger (Xbox One). This is another important thing to be aware of since looking down sights makes it easier to aim. Aiming down sights is also helpful if your current weapon doesn’t have built-in zoom. Keep in mind that aiming makes you run out of breath. Only aim down sights when necessary. Remember to take a few seconds to recover your breath after aiming. You never know when you’ll need to run and you can’t do that without breath.

Gear of War

If you want to survive longer, you’re going to need higher-end gear. Almost all loot is found within buildings. Here is where you’ll find weapons, body armor, health items, and backpacks. All of these items are essential. In addition to finding items in buildings, you can also scavenge them off dead players. If you’re down to the last ten or so players, chances are they’ll have decent gear, perhaps even tier-3 equipment. Of course, gear like that will make them that much harder to kill. You never want to stop hunting for better equipment, even late into a match.

Tools of the Trade

You’ll eventually pick up optical attachments for weapons as you make your way across the map. Though you might be tempted to put scopes on every weapon, it’s best to use them for specific guns. Put 4x and 8x scopes on sniper rifles since they can shoot across great distances. Sniper rifles are of course perfect for getting long-range kills. For close-range encounters, assault rifles with red dot sights are better since you don’t need to shoot very far. And of course, shotguns are exceptional when facing off against enemies inside of buildings. Always have the right weapon for whatever situation you find yourself in.

Shut The Front Door!

Unless you were raised in a barn, you probably learned to close doors behind you growing up. This sage advice from grandma is also true in PUBG. If you go into a house and leave the door open, it will let other players know someone is in that home. If you don’t want to give away your position, you’ll want to close doors after entering a building.

Though closing doors is sound advice, open doors can be used to one’s advantage. Players will naturally want to investigate a building with an open door in order to kill whoever is inside. You can position yourself right near an open door and pick off any intruders. This can backfire if you aren’t fast enough to capitalize on your little trap. As always with PUBG, learn to anticipate what other players will do.

Here in My Car…

Vehicles are great for covering a lot of distance quickly (especially when the map is shrinking). If you locate one, you’re going to want to mark its position on your map so you can find it when moving across zones. However, you don’t want to drive vehicles everywhere since they make it easier for others to spot you. When going to a specific location, it’s always best to exit your vehicle and make it the rest of the way on foot. Again, a big noisy vehicle is going to give you away fast.

In Constant Motion

When roaming the world, there is a good chance someone will spot you before you see them. If you’re traversing an open area and get shot at, do not go prone. This will just make you easier to kill. Don’t emulate a certain Stark child (R.I.P. Rickon) and run in a straight line. What you want to do is move in a zig-zag pattern until you can find some decent cover. Unless you’re inside of a secure building, never stop moving.

The Power of Healing

Besides weapons and equipment, you’re going to want to stock up on health items to stay in the fight longer. These include first-aid kits, medkits, bandages, painkillers, and energy drinks. All of these can heal you, but each has different effects. For example, first-aid kits and bandages can only heal you up to 75% of maximum health. You’ll need medkits, painkillers, energy drinks, and other boosting items to get to 100%. As you can imagine, these types of healing items aren’t exactly plentiful.

Painkillers and energy bars are classified as boosters. When using one of them, a small bar will appear above your health bar. This is your boost level, of which there are several levels. The first one lets your character gradually heal over time. Other levels allow for faster running or better gun handling. Boosters are great for giving you an extra edge.

All healing items take time to work their magic. Since you can’t move while healing, make sure you’re in a (relatively) safe spot to administer treatment. You don’t want to heal out in the open where you’ll be easy to take out.

Use Your Head

The most important thing to keep in mind is that PUBG rewards patience and tenacity. This isn’t a run and gun game like Call of Duty. Yes, there may come a time when you’ll have to engage in a firefight in order to survive. Most of the time, however, you’re better off playing nice and slow.

Collect items to give you an edge and pick off enemies as silently as possible. With 100 players on each map, you don’t need to do much to see that number dwindle. Bide your time and try as best as possible to outsmart your foes. Become confident in your skills and understand the environment. It may take a while to master all of PUBG‘s intricacies, but if you’re persistent, you’ll surely enjoy chicken dinners on a consistent basis.

Happy hunting!

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