The PUBG Mobile 4.6 update, known as Midnight Hunters, releases globally on September 9, 2026. This vampire-themed update from Krafton turns Erangel into a hunter-versus-vampire battleground, adding a new respawn-as-vampire mode called Bloodline Awakening, PvE enemies, themed items, weapon changes, and a Classic Mode refresh.
It’s one of the darkest, most gothic seasons the game has run, and the timing lines up with Halloween. Below is a full rundown of what’s new in 4.6, including the release date, every new mode, the item changes, and the rewards.
- Release date: September 9, 2026
- Theme name: Midnight Hunters (dark vampire / gothic theme)
- Headline mode: Bloodline Awakening
For a quick look at what’s happening in PUBG right now, watch the latest Facebook video below before we get into the details.
PUBG Mobile Version 4.6 brings vampires and hunter guilds into the fight. Watch the official Midnight Hunters trailer below for a first look at the update before it launches on September 9.
PUBG Mobile 4.6 update timeline and patch notes
PUBG Mobile Version 4.6 comes out worldwide on September 9, 2026. PUBG Mobile shared the date when it launched the V4.6 Beta 2, which let players try the new areas, items, and gameplay before the full release. But not everything arrives on September 9. The update rolls out its content across September and October, so here’s what drops when.
The beta ran in four rounds through late August. The later rounds showed more of Bloodline Awakening, Classic Mode, Metro Royale, World of Wonder, and the weapon changes, so most of what’s in 4.6 has already been seen. Just remember the beta is only a preview: the final patch notes on September 9 may still tweak a few things.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Update | Version 4.6 |
| Global release | September 9, 2026 |
| Main theme | Midnight Hunters (vampires vs. hunters) |
| Main limited-time mode | Bloodline Awakening |
| Main map | Erangel (reworked) |
| Other changes | Classic Mode, Metro Royale, World of Wonder, weapons, performance |
| Beta status | Some things may still change before launch |
4.6 changes more than the look of Erangel: the map actually plays by new rules this time, and the content lands in waves rather than all on day one. Some of it is live from launch, some starts weeks later, so it’s worth knowing the schedule before you patch.
| When | What arrives |
|---|---|
| September 9 (launch) | • Midnight Hunters themed mode (play as hunter or vampire, transform into a bat, use chains, fend off monsters) • Classic Mode update (improved 7.62mm handling, buffed ACE32, new Inflatable Boat watercraft) • New seasons (S32 Classic, plus a new Metro Royale season that reopens September 10 after Metro Royale: Reunion ends September 8) • Mid-Autumn Festival gameplay (solve puzzles, snap photos) • General improvement (matchmaking notice to keep the current server or expand the range) |
| ⭐ September 18 onward | • Bloodline Awakening faction battle on a modified Erangel (not a new map). • Eliminated players respawn as vampires with their own abilities to hunt down the Hunters • Runs Friday to Sunday: starting the weekend of September 18-20, second run September 25-27, then permanently available • Themed areas: Rozhok, Mylta, Quarry, Gatka; hunter hot drops at Stalber and Military Base |
| October | • Ocean Odyssey (Dominate the Deep) returns for a limited time. First added back in Version 3.3 (2024), it brings back the floating Ocean Palace, the amphibious Stingray vehicle, and the Trident weapon that summons water spouts • Halloweeks gameplay (pumpkin candy boxes, trick or treat) |
Note: dates come from PUBG Mobile’s official preview; ability and map details are from the beta and may still change at launch.
Midnight Hunters themed mode
Midnight Hunters is the main themed experience in 4.6. It covers six themed areas across Erangel: Military Base and Stalber are the hunter-themed zones, while Mylta, Gatka, Quarry, and Rozhok become vampire-themed areas with red lighting and horror-style buildings. Bats fly out as you walk up to some of these spots, which adds to the creepy mood.
Bloodline Awakening: the vampire mode explained
Bloodline Awakening is the headline mode of 4.6, and it plays out on a reworked version of Erangel rather than a brand-new map. Here’s the hook: if you get eliminated during a certain window, you don’t just leave the match. You come back as a vampire and can go after the players who knocked you.
Vampire abilities
As a Vampire you get a set of skills that completely change how you play out the round. From the current beta, they include Claw Attack for close-range strikes, Absorb, Blood Sense for tracking nearby enemies, and Blood Amberfication. Blood Sense is the one to watch: being able to see where the living players are flips the usual dynamic, since the hunters suddenly become the hunted. These skills are still being tuned in testing, so the exact effects and cooldowns may shift by launch.
New PvE enemies
Bloodline Awakening throws AI monsters into the mix on top of the usual player fights, so a shootout can quickly turn into a three-way problem. Based on the beta, you’ll run into the Nightbat, a flying enemy that fires sonic projectiles from above, and the Vampire Elder, a tougher vampire that can summon magic spheres to buff nearby enemies. On the ground, the Bloodwalker is a melee attacker that can drain your health and dodge shots, while the Elite Bloodwalker is a stronger version of it.
The practical effect: gunfire nearby no longer means just another squad. You have to watch for both real players and these PvE enemies while moving through the themed areas.
Hunter Guild missions
If you’d rather stay human, the Hunter Guild gives you objectives tied to the theme. Missions appear around Stalber and Sosnovka Military Base, asking you to do things beyond looting and fighting, and reward Silver Hunter Coins. Two examples seen in the beta are Bloodrose Hunt (track and kill a vampire before it evolves into a stronger form) and Repair the Seal (defend the Nightkeeper’s seal from waves of vampire attacks).
New themed items in 4.6
Version 4.6 adds several supernatural gadgets that change movement, defense, and healing. The main ones from the beta:
- Twilight Bat Wings: turn into an Energy Bat to fly and glide across the map. You get two buttons, Blink for a quick burst of speed and Sonic Wave to reveal enemies hiding inside houses, and you can cling to surfaces until your energy runs low.
- Blood Crystal Barrier: blocks projectiles coming through windows. That changes how you hold a building. The classic move of pre-aiming someone’s window from across the street stops working, so expect house fights to drag out longer.
- Silvermoon Chain: a mobility and combat tool linked to the dark faction. Exact effects are still from the beta.
- Blood Pact: a squad-based system that shares healing between connected teammates, also still being tuned in testing.
- Hunter Bandage and Scarlet Tonic: themed healing items.
Most of these abilities come down to reaction speed, and that’s harder on a touchscreen. If you’re grinding Midnight Hunters on a phone, a set of physical triggers frees up your thumbs for aiming while you fire. This 13-in-1 combo from Mikirini is an Amazon’s Choice pick and cheap enough to try.
Classic Mode and weapon meta changes
The themed mode grabs the headlines, but Classic Mode gets real changes too. The 7.62mm rifles are getting stat adjustments, so expect recoil and damage on those guns to feel different from before. The ACE32 also gets buffed attributes, and there’s a new Inflatable Boat watercraft for water movement.
The weapon values shown in the beta aren’t final, though. Treat the 7.62mm recoil and damage as numbers to check yourself after September 9, not locked figures.
Metro Royale, World of Wonder, and the new season
The vampire stuff gets the spotlight, but 4.6 also refreshes the game’s other big modes. Metro Royale, the extraction-style mode that mixes PvE and PvP with persistent gear, moves into a new season with fresh collectibles, sellable items, and loot. World of Wonder, the create-your-own-map mode, gets new templates and lobby tweaks, handy if you use it as a hangout between ranked matches.
On the ranked side, 4.6 opens the new S32 Classic season, and Royale Pass A21 starts September 12. The premium cosmetic track this cycle is the Honor Series, a high-end Ultimate Set line that comes with special materials and a matching upgradable weapon, so if you’re planning a rank push, the first week after launch is when the daily missions and pass XP line up best.
Quality-of-life and general improvements
One confirmed general improvement is the new matchmaking notice. When a server is low on players, you can choose to keep the current server for the lowest latency, or expand the matchmaking range for a faster queue at higher latency.
How to download the PUBG Mobile 4.6 update
For the full release, the 4.6 update rolls out through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store from September 9, 2026. Availability can vary by region during the rollout, so if you don’t see it right away, check again a little later. You can also confirm the latest details on the official PUBG Mobile website. Note that Royale Pass A21 is set to start a few days after launch, on September 12.
The four 4.6 beta phases already wrapped on August 23, so the beta is closed for now. When PUBG Mobile opens a test server, it shares official download links through its own channels, and beta progress does not carry over to the live version.
Before you update: quick checklist
- Free up storage. Big patches often need more room than the download size suggests, since the game has to unpack resource files. Keep a few GB free.
- Update on stable Wi-Fi. A large patch over a shaky mobile connection can fail halfway and force a redownload.
- Don’t trust every leaked number. Damage values, cooldowns, and rewards seen in beta clips may change on launch day. Check the final patch notes after September 9.
- Be ready to relearn Erangel. With themed zones, PvE enemies, and new movement items, the fastest way to get the mode is just to play it.
Confirmed collaborations in 4.6
PUBG Mobile’s official V4.6 item preview confirmed three brand collaborations landing this cycle.
- One-Punch Man: the headline anime crossover. It runs September 20 to October 19, 2026, worldwide (excluding mainland China), with characters like Saitama, Genos, Garou, Tatsumaki, and Fubuki available through a Prize Path event. Note the timing gap: the 4.6 patch lands September 9, but One-Punch Man content doesn’t open until September 20, so don’t patch on day one expecting Saitama.
- Lincoln: a luxury car brand crossover bringing vehicle skins, arriving around September 10.
- B.DUCK: a lifestyle-brand crossover confirmed in the same preview.
Midnight Hunters also comes with its own soundtrack. Watch the official Alan Walker collaboration below, featuring “FATE,” which players can claim for free in-game from launch day.
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Still in beta or unconfirmed
A few things are either still being tuned in the beta build or come from leaks PUBG Mobile hasn’t officially announced. Treat these as “likely, but not final” until the live patch notes are out.
- Auto land (auto-recall) in themed areas: beta footage suggests you can drop into any themed zone and still get pulled back into the action, instead of being locked to one hot drop.
- Separate glasses and mask slots: reports point to face slots being split so you can wear glasses and a mask independently.
- Bloodline vs Bloodmoon (and Vampiric Fiend vs Wolf Warrior): a common mix-up. The Vampiric Fiend and Wolf Warrior transformations, and the “Bloodmoon Awakening” name, all belong to the older event from Version 3.4, not 4.6. Version 4.6’s vampire mode is Bloodline Awakening, which is a different event from a different update.
- Demon Slayer and One Piece: these have appeared in data-mines and leaks, but unlike One-Punch Man, they have not been officially confirmed. Don’t count on them yet.
Skins, rewards, and cosmetics
These are the cosmetics and rewards shown in PUBG Mobile’s official item and free-perks previews. Some items appear in the preview art without full details yet, so the exact unlock methods may vary.
For a quick official look at the free rewards on the way, PUBG Mobile’s “V4.6 Activity Perks” preview runs through them:
- Free perks: emote, Ray outfit, Metro Royale cover, S32 items, RP A21 rewards, Halloweeks rewards, and more. To claim them, check the Event Center after updating, then complete missions, collect cards, play Classic and Casual matches, and check your Home section. Most are time-limited, so don’t sit on them.
- Paid finishes and sets: the Honor Series, Umbral Scorpius Gilt Set, Platinum Soulmeister and Sanguine Sonata Ultimate Sets, PDP Lucky Spin, Leopard Buddy, plus the Lincoln, One-Punch Man, and B.DUCK collaboration items.
Frequently asked questions
The newest update is Version 4.6, Midnight Hunters, releasing globally on September 9, 2026. It follows Version 4.5, which ran the Naruto Shippuden collaboration.
Version 4.5 (the Naruto collaboration) is the live version until September 9, 2026, when Version 4.6 Midnight Hunters takes over.
The full 4.6 update goes live globally on September 9, 2026, through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Rollout timing can vary slightly by region.
Yes. Bloodline Awakening is a limited-time themed mode and does not replace Classic Mode. You can keep playing standard battle royale after updating.
No. Beta testing is for trying features and reporting bugs, so items and match progress from the beta reset and do not transfer to the live version.
No. You only become a vampire if you’re eliminated during the Bloodline Awakening window and choose to transform. If you’d rather stay human, you can take on Hunter Guild missions instead.
No. It uses Erangel, reworked with vampire-themed zones like Rozhok and Gatka and new PvE enemies, rather than a separate battle royale map. If you know Erangel, you already know the layout.
PUBG Mobile update 4.6: what’s actually worth your time
4.6 is a bigger deal than most seasonal patches because it changes how a match plays, not just how it looks: real PvE combat, a respawn-as-vampire mechanic, and a full themed overhaul of Erangel. If you’re short on time, the Midnight Hunters theme and Bloodline Awakening are the parts to try first, the 7.62mm and ACE32 tweaks are what matter for Classic ranked, and the free perks are worth a login. The rest, like Ocean Odyssey and the Halloweeks event, fills out the rest of September and October.
