This page explains how to only play the old map in PUBG, with advice on how to only play the desert map too!
As much as people have learned to come around to enjoying the second map to be released for PUBG, there are some who simply want to play on the old map – and only the old map. It’s a little bit frustating to queue up over and over, just to find yourself stuck on the desert map, and unable to get a game on Erangel.
The good news is that there are some tried and tested methods for ensuring that you only get one map or the other, so if you actually fancy a bit of Miramar-exclusive action you can actually make that happen too. The only downside to all this is that it will often take you longer to get the map you actually want, so there’s a trade-off between matchmaking delay and getting your preferred game going.
Additionally, we have to offer up a few caveats before you take the following steps to choose your map in PUBG:
- First of all, you are messing around with the game’s installation files. While everything may work fine right now, it’s by no means guaranteed to be issue-free in the future, and as the devs release patches that obviously won’t have been QA-tested against this method.
- Secondly, the devs are slowly ramping up their anti-cheat detection systems for the game. Although this might not be considered a cheat, the very act of messing around with the installation files may cause a flag to be raised somewhere and put your account in jeopardy. We’ve heard of no problems since this method for playing only the old PUBG map became popular at the end of last year, but you proceed at your own risk.
- Finally, messing around with an installed application may cause you system problems elsewhere, although again we’ve yet to hear of anyone running into a problem using that method.
You can take the above as an abudance of caution, then, but it’s important that we outline every possible problem.
More PUBG guides
- PUBG Guide – All of our essential, in-depth PUBG guide content in one place – PUBG: Guide
- Replay Guide – Our primer guide to getting more out of the replay system – PUBG: Replay guide (control system and save folder)
- Custom Matches – How to create your own custom matchers and servers – PUBG: How to create a custom match and server
- Map Choice – Everything you need to know about map selection in PUBG – PUBG: How to only play the old map
- Best Keybinds – Ensure you use the optimal keybinds and keyboard layout – PUBG: Best keybinds, hotkeys and keyboard layout
How to only play Erangel or Miramar
Here’s a video that explains the whole thing from start to finish if you’d rather watch along:
- Go into your Steam library and then look for your PUBG installation.
- Once you’ve located it, right-click on the game and select Properties, which appears at the very bottom of the menu bar.
- Next, select the tab called Local Files and click on Browse Local Files. This will open up the installation folder in Windows Explorer.
- From here, click on Content, then Packs. The files we are interested in are the ones that contain the words desert or erangel. Each map has four such associated files.
- To eliminate the desert map from the playlist, just add a number or a letter to the start of the four desert file names.
- To eliminate Erangel, do the same but for the four Erangel files.
- To add one or the other back into the playlist, just remove that number you’d added.
It’s not a complicated process at all, and one you might be familiar with from tweaking other PC games. Once you’ve disabled the map you don’t want to play in PUBG, just load up the game as normal.
You’ll be kicked out of the game if the map you’ve disabled is chosen for your queue, but just keep firing the game up until you get a working game on your preferred map. We understand that you should now see that map exclusively when queuing up for future games.
That’s the end of the first edition of our guide on how to play the old map in PUBG. If we find any other methods – ideally not involving tinkering with the installation – then we’ll be sure to update this article. Do let us know in the comments if you know of any other working methods yourself.
