The one factor that determines the strategy of every player in a match of PUBG Mobile is the circle. The circle is used as a tool to force players to make a choice between fighting and dying slowly outside.
PUBG Mobile has an important aspect that every famous esport title needs to make players keep coming back to the game. It's the endless possibility, the uniqueness of every match. You can join the game, jump off the plane, and choose to land anywhere on the map. If you are tired of hearing the constant gun sound, you can pick some location at the edge of the map and chilling, maybe even do some sightseeing. If you are looking for a crazy massacre, you might aim for Military Base or School or Hacienda Del Patron.
But if you want to win the match and be the last man standing, you need a location that helps you deal with the circle. Here are some tips from the best PUBG Mobile players in the world.
The circle location - How it is determined
After the first few minutes into the game, the first circle will appear, indicated on the map. As the game progress, it will shrink smaller while the damage from the blue zone will increase.
However, the circle is random, so it is impossible to plan ahead every game and players have to adapt instead.
The first circle is a fairly large area so usually, you don't have to worry too much about getting into it. As you can see above, the area around School and Rozhok almost always inside the first circle as it is at the center of the map. Of course, that area is always crowd with people and has a high risk of dying unless the plane is too far away. It's is the best spot in the game to start with, but everyone knows it so you might die even before having a weapon. Even if you can make it out alive, there is still a chance that the place isn't in the circle.
In the end, choosing a remote area with fine loots will give you more freedom and options than trying to get into the hot spot. Avoiding early game fights will give you time to determine your next destination and prepare your gears.
Manage your time is the best way to manage the circle
Instead of trying to hit the middle of the first circle, you should find a place that is at least 1 kilometer(1 big square) away from the plane route with decent loot.
While you are parachuting, you should look for a vehicle since it the most effective way to move around and save your precious time, especially in big maps like Erangel or Miramar.
“I’d probably say the most important thing for circle management is time management. The last thing you want to do is move into a new circle after all the strongest areas have been claimed.” - Linksy, PUBG professional player.
You will find yourself moving a great distance in the game to get in the circle or finding loots, airdrops. Running in an open field makes you an easier target to spray down than moving in a vehicle. Also if you have the time, try to pop the tires of some vehicle along the way to limit the options of other players. In squad mode, not having a vehicle is a huge disadvantage, so in a long-range fight, you can go for their vehicle's tire to immobilize them.
Positioning inside the circle
Lots of people think that being in a house at the center of the circle late game is the best option, but that location is where most people keep their eyes on the most, and sometimes they might be there already. You will need to watch out for every direction and your game will likely end soon if you get attacked by different teams from different angles.
You should choose a defensive spot near the edge of the circle instead to eliminate some possible danger from the middle and outside of the circle while paying more attention to the sides. But be aware that in early to mid-game, some players might try to stay in the blue zone and sneak up on you from the back.
If there is no house or building in the circle, then it is all up to your knowledge about the terrain of the area. You should always move from cover to cover and make guesses about the enemy's locations to plan ahead of your movement.
PUBG Mobile is a game full of elements of randomness, knowing how to turn those variables to your advantage is how you win this game consistently.