The map pool for the $50,000 PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Invitational at IEM Katowice has been cut in half, IEM announced today.
Sixteen teams will be competing at the event from Feb. 24 to 25 at IEM Expo in Katowice, Poland. While the original plan was to have both Erangel and Miramar, the new desert map, in play for the tournament, the decision has been made to cut out the latter entirely.
The announcement has been met with disappointment and resistance on Twitter, as the replies feature a number of people who are upset with the decision to limit the event to just one map.
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For teams and competitors, it makes sense. Players can now focus on one map and not have to worry about the ins and outs of the much larger Miramar. But for spectators, the move is disappointing, as it limits what could’ve been a more exciting two-map pool.
With the online qualifiers for the event due to kick off this weekend, it looks like there’s little time left to revert the decision, as players will begin dropping into Erangel starting on Saturday.
If fans continue to voice their disappointment, however, it’s possible that Miramar could make an appearance at a large-scale LAN for competitive PUBG some time this year.
