PS4's Free New Battle Royale, H1Z1, Is Off To A Hot Start

H1Z1 is joining Fortnite and seeing big success in bringing the battle royale genre to PS4. Players are embracing the game, which just had its first console launch on May 22, and within 24 hours it had amassed more than 1.5 million players. H1Z1 is more realism-focused than Fortnite, along the lines of PUBG, which has seen incredible success of its own. However, thanks to a timed-exclusivity arrangement with Microsoft, PUBG's only console version is on Xbox One, leaving H1Z1 to fill that void on PS4.

"We believe we've found the right balance for battle royale on console and players have responded positively to our reimagining of H1Z1. We will continue to refine the game based on feedback from Open Beta to ensure the best experience possible for our actively growing community," said H1Z1 Producer Terrence Yee.

H1Z1: Battle Royale's PS4 release is an open beta, with a full release scheduled for later this year. It's been redesigned for PS4, with a larger weapon arsenal, a new UI, and faster-paced gameplay. There's a tweaked control system featuring a radial weapon menu and a grab-and-go equipment system to make loot-collection easier, along with frequent and increasingly lucrative airdrops with higher-powered weapons and armor. Unlike the PC version, the number of players caps out at 100. Check out the PS4 beta trailer above.

H1Z1: Battle Royale was formerly called H1Z1: King of the Kill. The game reinvented itself as a battle royale version of the zombie-survival game, with each match pitting players against each other in a last-man-standing deathmatch. Players have the option of playing solo or partnering with another player. They can also play in groups of five, or in a mode called Auto Royale, where four players drive a car into battle in an attempt to survive by collecting power-ups and outlasting their opponents. Developer Daybreak Games has said it is open to creating an Xbox One version, although it hasn't been confirmed.