PUBG Mobile enthusiasts have long demanded a way to play the game with a controller or keyboard and mouse. With the Tencent Gaming Buddy official emulator, a single software download, you can play PUBG for free on your PC.
HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE 'PUBG MOBILE' EMULATOR
The first step to playing PUBG Mobile with a controller or mouse from your PC is to install the Tencent Gaming Buddy emulator.
- Get the beta emulator from this link.
- Open the installer and hit the button to "Install."
- Press the button to start the program, "wait for download" and then wait again at the "downloaded" screen. This part can take a while depending on the speed of your internet connection.
- A separate window opens during the installation process, and PUBG Mobile will launch tere when it's finished.
- If you want to carry over your progress from your mobile device, log in using the same Facebook account on both platforms.
PLAY 'PUBG MOBILE' WITH A MOUSE OR CONTROLLER ON PC
Especially when it comes to keyboard and mouse controls, the default mapping for PUBG Mobile using Tencent Buddy is actually pretty solid. Here's how the keys and presses will be configured after a fresh install.
- WASD/ Directionals: Move
- Left Click: Fire, punch or melee
- Right Click: ADS
- Spacebar: Jump, vault, swim
- C: Crouch
- Z: Prone
- Free Look: Alt (Look around without losing your aim)
- Shift: Sprint
- Mouse Lock: Auto Run
- Throwables (Frags, Smokes, Molotovs, Stuns): 4, 5, 6
- Heal Items (Medkit, First Aid, Bandage, Energy Drink, Syringe): 7.8,9,0
- F1: Quickly displays controls
- F: Interact
If by chance these settings don't appeal to you, you can change them by pressing the small keyboard button in the top-right of the emulation screen. This brings up the keymapping menu shown below. Just find the key in the area, double click its little bubble and replace the key by pressing the button you want. Save the arrangement when you're done.
As of now the controller options seem a bit strange (considering there's no on-screen option to fire), but the mapping works in a similar fashion. Tap the small button at the top of the keyboard menu to enter gamepad options. There are no default values, though, so you'll have to use the above image as a reference and drag the button presses to the proper area of the screen. We'll do our best to upload a controller-centric mapping once a good one becomes available, but we wouldn't advise using controllers because you'll be at a disadvantage against people who are using a mouse.
HOW TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE WITH 'PUBG MOBILE' ON TENCENT BUDDY
Tencent Buddy is still in beta, so bugs and performance problems are to be expected. That being said, pressing the small menu button at the top of the emulation window and selecting "Settings" does have a few tweaks that can be made to support lower-end systems.
In the Game subsection, switching the resolution to SD is a solid idea if your PC doesn't have a dedicated graphics card. Beyond that, the settings in the Engine menu are better left untouched unless you're an experienced PC user. This game will never look as good as its Steam counterpart, so tinkering with the settings isn't a major priority in this case.
IS THERE CROSS-PLATFORM PLAY?
The major catch with playing PUBG Mobile on Tencent Buddy is that you'll only be matched with other users who are also playing on Tencent Buddy. As a result, you won't be able to play with folks on Apple or Android phones. There has been some discussion that iPad Pro owners can join the Tencent Buddy lobby, but cross-platform play is mostly nerfed. If you want to squad up with friends, they have to be playing on Tencent Buddy with you.
Tags:
MMO