Krafton is removing six underused weapons from PUBG: Battlegrounds with the June 42.1 update. A detailed compensation system will refund G-Coin, BP, and Credits based on skin rarity and acquisition source.
Krafton has confirmed that six weapons will be permanently removed from PUBG: Battlegrounds with the June 2026 Update 42.1. First teased in the April 41.1 patch notes, the full compensation details arrived on May 12, 2026, as part of the Update 41.2 notes published on the official PUBG website. With an average of 353,000 concurrent players and a peak of nearly 980,000 on Steam in April 2026, this is one of the most significant loot-pool changes the battle royale has seen in years.
Which Weapons Are Being Removed?
The following six weapons, along with all associated skins, will be removed from the game starting with the June update:
- Mosin Nagant (Sniper Rifle): Functionally near-identical to the Kar98k
- R45 (Handgun): Miramar-exclusive revolver with notoriously scarce ammo spawns
- DP-28 (Light Machine Gun): The iconic 47-round pan-magazine LMG with declining usage rates
- PP-19 Bizon (SMG): High-capacity 9mm SMG overshadowed by the Vector and UMP45
- P1911 (Handgun): Classic sidearm with minimal practical use past the initial drop
- QBU (DMR): Sanhok-linked marksman rifle effectively replaced by the Mk12
As PCGamesN noted in their coverage, each of these weapons has a direct counterpart already in the game. The Mosin Nagant and Kar98k, the QBU and Mk12: these pairs performed nearly identically, making one of each redundant in the loot table.
Why Is Krafton Removing Weapons Now?
Krafton describes this as a cleanup of the looting ecosystem. Over the years, PUBG has accumulated a large arsenal, and some weapons stopped appearing on most maps entirely. Community members on the Steam forums pointed out the irony: several of these guns were already excluded from popular map rotations, which naturally tanked their usage stats.
The removal also serves a technical purpose. With PUBG’s 2026 roadmap introducing destructible terrain, execution animations, the new Payday mode, and the weekend-limited Rumble competitive mode, reducing redundant assets helps keep the game’s backend lighter. The freed-up space is expected to support new weapons and gameplay systems arriving later this year.
How the Compensation System Works
Starting with the May update, skins for the affected weapons can no longer be purchased, obtained from crates, or traded on the Steam Community Market. When Update 42.1 goes live in June, all remaining skins for these weapons will be removed from player inventories, and compensation will be distributed automatically based on how each skin was originally acquired.
Compensation by Acquisition Source
| Source | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Random Crate | 7,000 BP |
| Workshop (Imprints) | 300 – 700 Credits + specific skin returns |
| Hideout | 200 G-Coin per skin |
| Survivor Pass | 300 G-Coin per skin |
| Store (direct purchase) | 990 – 1,490 G-Coin depending on skin value |
| Event Rewards | 4,000 BP |
Premium store skins receive the highest payouts. The Firestarter QBU skin alone is worth 1,490 G-Coin, while GPT esports skins from Natus Vincere and Twisted Minds come in at 1,190 G-Coin each. Hideout skins, which account for the largest number of affected items, return 200 G-Coin per piece. Players who collected extensively from the Hideout could see several thousand G-Coin landing in their accounts at once.
What You Need to Do Before June
The compensation process is fully automatic, so no manual claim is required. However, there are a few things worth noting:
- Steam Market trading is already closed for these weapon skins. If you were planning to sell any on the Community Market, that window has passed.
- Bundles and crates containing affected skins will be updated to exclude them, with equivalent compensation provided for the removed portion.
- No action needed on your part. When the June update drops, your inventory will be adjusted and the corresponding BP, Credits, or G-Coin will appear in your account.
Community Reaction: Divided Opinions
The announcement has split the player base. On the Steam Community Discussions forum, several players criticised Krafton’s logic. One user wrote: “So the developers decided they don’t spawn these weapons on most maps, people don’t use them because they don’t even spawn, and then the developers say no one is using these weapons, let’s remove them completely.” Others specifically mourned the DP-28’s removal from Erangel, a map inspired by the Russian landscape where the Soviet-era LMG thematically belonged.
On the other side, many players see this as a practical decision. The R45’s chronic ammo shortage and the P1911’s irrelevance past the first 30 seconds of a match made them dead weight in the loot pool. Krafton has a track record of listening to feedback: the Dragunov rifle was pulled from live servers in 2023 after backlash over its RNG-based damage system, so the developer is not unfamiliar with community-driven reversals.
Could These Weapons Return?
There is no official confirmation of a permanent removal. Krafton has hinted that retired weapons could return through limited-time event modes or special map rotations. Given PUBG’s recent experiments with the alien-themed mode, the Payday heist mode, and Rumble weekends, there is clearly an appetite for rotating content. A nostalgia-driven event mode featuring removed weapons would fit that pattern.
What Else Is Changing in PUBG’s 2026 Season?
The weapon removal is part of a broader overhaul. Update 41.2, which goes live on PC on May 13, 2026, brings several major additions:
- Execution System: Finish downed enemies with melee weapons (Machete, Sickle, Crowbar, Pan) using unique animations
- PAYDAY Mode: A new PvE bank heist game mode
- Harley-Davidson Collaboration: Exclusive vehicle skins and a special island container
- Rumble Mode (PC): Weekend-only casual competitive squad mode across AS, EU, and NA regions with G-Coin rewards up to 5,000 for top crews
- Miramar Secret Rooms: Underground passages with high-value loot accessible via special keys
- Blue Chip Tower rework: Supply drops now arrive instantly without a plane, reducing noise fatigue
On the anti-cheat front, Krafton permanently banned approximately 260,000 DMA-based cheaters in 2025 and pursued legal action against cheat distribution networks. The 2026 anti-cheat roadmap promises continued DMA detection improvements and hardware-based re-entry blocks.
Things Players Usually Want to Know
Do I need to submit a ticket for the compensation?
No. The system is automatic. When Update 42.1 launches in June, affected skins will be removed and compensation will be deposited directly into your account.
Can I convert G-Coin compensation into real money?
G-Coin is an in-game currency and cannot be directly converted to cash. You can use it in the PUBG in-game store for new skins, passes, and cosmetic items.
Does this affect PUBG Mobile?
Krafton’s announcement applies only to PUBG: Battlegrounds on PC and console. PUBG Mobile operates under a separate development pipeline and has not announced similar weapon removals.
What if I bought a bundle that included an affected skin?
Bundles will be updated to exclude the affected weapon skins, and you will receive compensation equivalent to the removed portion of the bundle’s value.
Are more weapons being removed after June?
Krafton has not announced any additional removals beyond the six listed. The move is described as clearing space for new weapons and mechanics rather than a recurring purge.
If you are looking to buy or sell PUBG Mobile accounts with rare skins and inventory, you can browse verified listings on the GamerMarkt PUBG Mobile accounts page for a secure marketplace experience.
