'Rules of Survival' update includes bigger map that can fit 300 players

Screenshot of "Rules of Survival's" title screen Screenshot/Net Ease

"Rules of Survival" ("ROS") just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

When NetEase Games first released their Battle Royale-style shooter for mobile devices back in Nov. 2017, fans viewed the game simply as a rip-off of the highly successful "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" ("PUGB"). Everything about it screamed "PUBG" as the majority of its elements seem to have been taken from the popular Xbox One title.

From the skydiving to the dog-eat-dog mentality the game requires its players to have, and from the seeming lack of the other things that made "PUBG" a global success, it seemed that "ROS" was destined to forever sit in the shadow of its more massive counterpart.

But several updates later, its popularity skyrocketed as the game has now evolved into a game of its own. It's addition of new weapons, vehicles and game modes made "ROS" slowly creep out from under "PUBG's" shadow, and rather than being viewed as a mere imitation, the game is now appreciated by many players as a way to play a "PUBG"-style game whenever and wherever they want. The game has become so popular that it has become the most downloaded mobile game for iPhone and iPad in Q4 2017.

And with the game's latest update, it seems that Net Ease plans to take the action to newer heights. The biggest change that came with the patch is the Fearless Fjord, a brand-new 64 square km map that can accommodate up to 300 players, more than double of the standard 120 player Battle Royale of the original. Due to the larger area to explore, several interactive objects have been added such as a hang glider that multiple players can ride and several zip-lines, in order to make it easier to maneuver around the battlefield.

Several areas of the new map also have minefields, which makes it harder for players to sneak around, especially if stealth is their preferred style of play, as the wrong move can mean instant death.

The game has also been reskinned for Valentine's day. And several events and daily rewards give players the opportunity to win gold and many other prizes. A special message board has also been set up for players to send valentine's messages to other players, although it remains debatable whether it would actually be used for such.

"Rules of Survival" is a free game and is available for download for Android, iOS and Windows.

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