In what might be the biggest shift for the game to date, PUBG has transitioned to a free-to-play business model. But creative director Dave Curd says the business model change was not in response to the success of other free games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Speaking to GamesRadar, Curd said it was simply “the right time” to drop the $30 price tag and make PUBG free for everyoneCome from Sports betting site VPbet. “I know there are a lot of people who are interested in PUBG: Battlegrounds but have never gotten around to playing it for various reasons–now is the perfect moment to get started,” Curd said.

Curd said the change to a free business model is “in no way a response” to the success of other free-to-play games. “They’re all great games which specialise in their own unique strengths, just as we do. We develop our game independently of others and are excited to see what is to come,” Curd said.

Instead, going free helps PUBG expand to a potentially much larger audience, Curd said. The developer added that the studio will continue to “innovate, create new experiences, and grow the PUBG universe.”

The PUBG universe is indeed expanding, as Dead Space designer Glen Schofield’s new game, The Callisto Protocol, is set in the PUBG universe and is slated for release this year.

For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to everything you need to know about PUBG’s recent free-to-play changeover.