Two years ago, PUBG Corp began testing a lightweight free version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds that ran on less powerful hardware. But now the publisher of PUBG Lite is about to pull the plug and shut down the game's servers next month.

Krafton, the publisher overseeing the development of PUBG Lite, posted a statement on the game's website announcing the shutdown. Starting today, PUBG Lite will no longer be available for download, and the servers will eventually go offline on April 29.

"We are deeply grateful for the passion and support of the amazingly large number of PUBG LITE fans who have been with us, and we hope that PUBG LITE has provided a fun way for our fans to stay safe during the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic."

"Unfortunately, after much deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to end our service. Unfortunately, PUBG LITE will end its service on April 29, 2021 (UTC)."

Completely separate from PUBG's core client and with its own development team and servers, PUBG Lite had much lower recommended hardware requirements. The game was first tested in Thailand and then expanded to other countries, eventually adding maps for Erangel, Sanhok, Bodie, and Vikendi. Admittedly, there was no cross-play with the regular old PUBG, but it was a valuable option for those without the graphical horsepower to run the demanding base game.

PUBG itself is still going strong, with the recent addition of Metal Gear-style fulton balloons to chat with your squad. But it's a shame to see a more accessible client disappear like this, even though PUBG was never loved in the same way.

Thanks, PCGamesN.