PUBG Mobile’s plethora of inventive game modes have returned. At least, that’s what we should have been celebrating today. Through the Reunion: Classics Encore event, PUBG Mobile 1.6 promised the return of legendary and fan-favorite modes like Survive Till Dawn, Runic Power, and the beloved Metro Royale. That last one was initially taken down for a rework, but we’re getting another tour of the wasteland before we see a fresh new locale. Turns out today is not the day of their return, but that won’t stop us from reminiscing and prepping for the future.
So what are all of these returning modes, anyway? If you’re a new or lapsed player, the long list of returning game modes stuffed inside the PUBG Mobile 1.6 patch notes page probably doesn’t mean a whole lot to you. Let us fill you in on the details, jog any lingering memories you may have from your PUBG Mobile past, and tell you exactly when they’re set to go live.
When Will PUBG Mobile Modes Like Metro Royale Return?
Although they were in the PUBG Mobile 1.6 patch notes and were probably downloaded alongside it, you can’t actually access any of the listed returning PUBG Mobile game modes just yet. This is likely due to the launch of the Flora Menace game mode which is active instead.
As for when they’re expected to make their triumphant return, it depends. To presumably avoid any long matchmaking queues, the six returning game modes will be split into two groups releasing two weeks apart. Metro Royale and Titan Last Stand will arrive first on September 28. After that, on October 15, the remaining four modes will arrive for one whole month.
All Returning Modes for the Reunion Classics Encore Event
Metro Royale 1.0
Perhaps the most beloved (and surprising) new addition in PUBG Mobile history was Metro Royale. The Metro 2033 crossover event was quickly regarded as one of the best new modes added to the game.
Found through a pipe on the main lobby screen, teams are tossed into a brand new area with stacks of NPC gangs to take on. All hoarding treasures of their own, the goal is to fight through the thick of it and escape with your spoils at the designated rendezvous point, ready to be fenced in exchange for equipment for your next run. But with every reward comes an inherent risk factor. In the upper tiers of the content, players aren’t just at the mercy of NPC packs, but other players as well. Lose your life and you lose your stuff as well, making the next run that much harder.
We had a blast running Metro Royale back in the day. As it’s the basic version and not the planned rework coming in, our Metro Royale guide can help you plan your future strategy. It won’t mean much without context, but looking into the 5 Worst Ways to Spend Metro Cash is a good shout as well.
PUBG Mobile Metro Royale returns on September 28, 2021.
Titans: Last Stand
Gone for only a few months, Titans: Last Stand is back as well. This mode was a crossover event for the Godzilla vs Kong movie released earlier in the year and was actually the culmination of the various Titan Strikes map modifications that came shortly before.
Lore-wise, it lightly follows the events of the movie. And we mean lightly. The idea is there. Now together in the same space, Godzilla and Kong are set to take on Mechagodzilla. Throughout the battle, the monsters continue to let loose energy crystals. You can pick these up to gain special abilities.
It’s the first PVE-focused PUBG Mobile mode. Rather than take each other on, you team up with the lobby to help the goliaths defeat Mechagodzilla by using the usual host of weapons scattered across the battlefield.
PUBG Mobile Titans: Last Stand returns on September 28, 2021.
Survive Till Dawn
The original crossover that set the scene for the rest, Survive Till Dawn hasn’t been seen for years. This premiere zombie mode first showed up as a collaboration with Capcom for the release of the Resident Evil 2 remake. Although it stuck around just a bit longer by stripping some of Capcom’s own characters, it soon fell to the same fate as every other unique PUBG Mobile Arcade mode.
Survive Till Dawn tasks players with doing just that: surviving a night on the frontline. But this isn’t just a PVP experience. It pits squads against not just each other, but swarms of the undead. It doesn’t include the poison gas from the Darkest Night variation but instead challenges you and your team to survive against two waves of zombie infestations before finishing off any straggling player squads.
PUBG Mobile Survive Till Dawn returns on October 15, 2021.
Payload 2.0
Another game mode that presumably did well enough to come back for a second run was Payload. Payload 2.0 is returning with the rest of them, bringing highly explosive combat back into the game.
Unlike the modes above, Payload 2.0 isn’t dramatically different from your standard PUBG Mobile Battle Royale mode: it’s just louder. Payload Mode introduces more explosive weaponry, armored vehicles, and even helicopters. And they’re not just for traversal. Most of the ground vehicles have mounted flamethrowers or machine guns. Still not wild enough for you? To aid in the chaos of the standard Battle Royale experience, Payload 2.0 features ways to bring fallen allies back into battle. Die to a helicopter machine gun? Have your team bring you back and get revenge with a grenade launcher from a Super Weapon Crate. It’s a blast, and we have a bunch of pointers from our brief shot at it.
PUBG Mobile Payload 2.0 returns on October 15, 2021.
Infection Mode
Infection Mode wasn’t quite the PUBG Mobile Zombies revival most wanted when the team teased it in the past. By the end of its brief run, it seemingly won over enough of the playerbase to cement its return for Halloween last year, leaving PUBG Mobile Lite to get the aforementioned Survive Till Dawn in its place.
This frantic preset is not unlike the fan-made Infection or Zombie modes from games like Halo. At the start of the match, half of the lobby is immediately infected, becoming fast-moving horrors capable of shredding players apart with their hands. Shred enough, and they evolve into incredibly tanky beasts. Non-infected players are tasked with taking these shambling horrors down. It’s a deathmatch all things considered, but with hunted humans joining the ranks of the undead, the pressure can quickly ramp up.
It’s another great example of how a break from Battle Royale is always worth seeking out. It’s just pure chaos and can be a great way to learn how to compose yourself under dire circumstances, which can certainly help your future matches both in and out of the limited game mode. Before then, check out our older Infection Mode guide so that you’re playing at your best as soon as it digs its way out of its shallow grave yet again.
PUBG Mobile Infection Mode returns on October 15, 2021.
Runic Power
A highlight of a whole season earlier in the year, Runic Power mode was one of the first of many PUBG Mobile modes to introduce superpowers. Like Payload, the standard Battle Royale experience still runs through to its core. The only difference — and it’s a big one — is that you begin each match with your choice of one of three Runic Power loadouts.
These color-coded gizmos award you with unique skills like ice walls and fireballs you can use in place in guns. Did it sound terrible on paper? Yes. Was it excellent in practice? Absolutely. It even paved the way for the hacker-like Hundred Rhythms mode that came soon after. It came at a time when plenty of PUBG Mobile players just wanted to get back to battling on Erangel like the good old days, but it’s easily the most frequently requested. In short, this is Battle Royale with a slightly magical twist.
If Runic Power sounds like your cup of tea, coffee, or ancient potion, blow off the dust on our classic guide. Given how long its been since it last came around, learning the ropes now could put you at a great advantage. Just avoid the Invisible Man glitches if they’re still present.
PUBG Mobile Runic Power Mode returns on October 15, 2021.
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