Sanhok Release Date Timeline in PUBG

If you ever got into one of those PUBG lobby arguments, there's a good chance the question What year did Sanhok come out in PUBG? has crossed your mind at least once. You might also have heard players use different dates for when that map first started being played. Most players point to the following event as the true release date of Sanhok: The date on which this map became available to all players that were on the live game servers (PC Version) = 22nd June 2018. The reason why there is so much confusion about these two dates is that Sanhok was first released in Experimental servers prior to officially being released to PC Live servers in addition to being released to console versions later than PC Live servers + was released to iOS & Android versions long after that. The staggered roll-out of Sanhok is essentially why there will continue to be mixed up dates in 2026 (and likely beyond).

Release Date for Sanhok in PUBG

The date SANHOK was released on PC Live Server (22nd June 2018) was considered by PUBG Corporation (the developers of PUBG) when they were developing Sanhok. The live release of SANHOK coincided with the completion of the testing and experimentation process. Before this date, the Devs at PUBG logistically worked to find out how the blue zone functions, how the Loot distribution would break out in relation to the very dense jungles (read "full of trees") of the map, and determine the level of server function after a full live testing phase. So if you're asking: What was the date when Sanhok was released and you are asking only for the PC version = 22nd June 2018.

Players on consoles had to wait until SANHOK was released in 2nd half of July 2018 (= approx 1 month after PC Live Release) before being able to play SANHOK. At the time, delays like this were fairly typical for PUBG's release timeline, especially due console builds going through additional platforms-specific certification & planned platform-specific adjustments prior to going live.

There is one change for PS4 players because PUBG itself did not launch on PS4 until December 2018. Therefore, when PS4 launched their platform, the players received Sanhok as part of the complete lineup of maps available to them as opposed to getting a separate Sanhoking update.

The timeline for PUBG Mobile to add Sanhok was 0.8.0 with patch from November. 2018. The layout of this map is virtually identical across both versions; it was just compatible with mobile devices because it was designed to operate with touch controls and had minimal server performance requirements. Some regions (specifically, Southeast Asia) received updates before other areas; as such, even in an older post or forum thread, there would be conflicting timelines.

PUBG Sanhok Release Dates for All Versions (Comparison Chart)

By providing a side by side comparison of the various versions of PUBG, we can provide a complete timeline of the overall launch history. Table of Sanhok Release Platform

June 22, 2018 | After several testing periods, PUBG is live for PC

Late July 2018 | Xbox One - approximately 4-5 weeks after PC version

December 2018 | PlayStation 4- launch window release

November 2018 | Patch 0.8.0, varies by region

Sanhok Path from PC to Console

On PC, Sanhok followed a typical path from an experimental build to a live release. In early 2018, Krafton provided access through an experimental client, which allowed for several testing rounds before the final release on June 22. The feedback from the testing rounds shaped a lot of what players associate with Sanhok: the increased speed of the blue zone; the increased amount of loot compared to Erangel and Miramar; as well as Sanhok being favored for SMGs and shotguns due to close-range engagements.

Like PC, the console release followed a typical certification timeline. The Xbox One version went live one month after PC had gone live and therefore followed the same update schedule for weekly patches. The PS4 version was unavailable during the certification period; however, the version was available from launch because of how long it took to join the pool of available maps at launch.

Sanhok on PUBG Mobile

Sanhok was added via version 0.8.0 on PUBG Mobile in November of 2018, 5 months after the PC launch. The mobile version of the map maintained the character of Sanhok: quick, compact, but several systems required modification for touchscreen gaming and mobile performance. Southeast Asia had early access to some regions of the world that were released after deploying the rest of their device's market over different periods of time which created the ability for Southeast Asia to play before the western hemisphere did.

There are many reasons for this including North Americans thinking that Asian games are actually real esports tournaments or simply setting up local schedules as global launch dates.

As of 2026, the Sanhok map is still in rotation for any competitive events hosted by PUBG Mobile in the classic and ranked formats.

Features of the Sanhok Map when it was First Introduced to PUBG

One of the things that made Sanhok very unique compared to the First two Maps (Erangel and Miramar) was that it was the First map with a size of just 4 km by 4 km.

Sanhok is a quarter of Erangel and Miramar and because it is so much smaller, players could complete one match of 30 minutes in approximately 15 - 20 minutes by using the new "focus on verticality" direction of play.

The layout of the Sanhok Map also added to this new play style by using three islands split by a large central lake with various bridges between the islands; this allowed players to engage in close quarter combat with natural choke points between landmasses, but still allowed players with thick jungle vegetation to perform ambushes from flanking positions that are not available on the larger open maps of PUBG.

Another notable feature of the Sanhok Map was the speed and aggression of the blue zones. The blue zone would move faster, close at a higher speed and punish players who tried to take "lazy rotates" in between the waves of the blue zone when making their way into the end of a match; teams that were use to playing by hanging around outside of the zones in Erangel or Miramar were repeatedly punished until they adjusted to the game mechanics respective to that map design. Even though the sequence of player actions needed to be modified after feedback was received, the combination of heat and heavy weights was present from the moment the game was created.

Additionally, there was an increase in the amount of loots dropped in comparison to the previous iterations of PUBG; players could quickly obtain all of the necessary weapons and gear as they entered into a small building, eliminating significant portions of the initial movements required to achieve a maximum combat speed.

Finally, there was Bootcamp - The most well-known location within Sanhok, located centrally in the map. Bootcamp comprised of numerous barracks and angles to shoot from, combined with a very high probability of encountering other players on three sides from any given vantage point. As a result, Bootcamp became the premier hot-drop during Sanhok matches; anywhere from 8 to 20 different teams would land at the same location, resulting in pure chaos for the first minute of the match. For some players, this was the biggest motivator for playing on Sanhok.

How Sanhok Has Impacted the PUBG Meta

Not only did Sanhok introduce the third map to the game but it completely changed how players interact with the game. Because of the short distances between players in Sanhok, long-range guns became less effective and close-range guns became increasingly valuable. Additionally, players began to place more value on initial combat as they would often sacrifice their safety of looting to attempt to attain faster access to their upgraded weapons.

Match pacing has changed dramatically in all aspects of the gaming experience. The average kill-count has increased dramatically, average survival times have been reduced dramatically, first-contact has happened earlier than on Erangel or Miramar, all of which promote less dead time for casual players and for those who play ranked or grind constantly; one bad rotation can end the game before it really starts.

Additionally, rotations have changed dramatically. For longer distances across the outer ring of larger maps, teams often relied on vehicles as the main means of transportation. That was not the case in Sanhok, where vehicles were less desirable due to the size of the map. Vehicles on Sanhok usually created more problems than they solved because the sound of the vehicle engine could easily alert your enemies to your position. Many teams changed their strategy from vehicular travel to moving on foot through jungle cover, where both timing and map awareness were just as important as straight shooting accuracy.

Sanhok also quickly entered into competitive play; teams were playing scrim games on it very soon after it was released in order to practice making macro decisions under pressure. With the circles closing in quickly and safe routes disappearing quickly, teams that took too long to make a decision were usually punished severely by dying before getting into their next position, something that did not happen as much on other maps. Professional teams practiced drop spots, such as Bootcamp and Paradise Resort, extensively, creating specific strategies based on the unique features of the terrain and how circles behaved on Sanhok.

Loadout Strategy Early in Sanhok's History.

Early on, the meta for weapons settled very quickly in that the loadout combinations used by most competitive teams centered around pairing assault rifles with submachine guns.

• Teams used assault rifles (M416, SCAR-L, etc.) to handle mid-range engagements comfortably while remaining versatile enough to be effective in smaller spaces.

• Commencing from the launch date of Sanhok, the submachine guns (UMP45, Vector, etc.) were also extremely valuable due to Sanhok's persistent demand for close-quarters engagements.

• Compared to Miramar, where long sight lines allowed for more reliable kills with designated marksman rifles (Mini14, SKS, etc.), the demand for DMRs on Sanhok was far lower than on those other maps.

• The overall use of utility items increased from where it had been previously; this included smoking grenades and frag grenades to clear compounds and clear barracks at Bootcamp.

This last point is especially important. When playing Sanhok, using grenades wasn't just for fun; it was needed to win [battles] in areas with heavy building/material cover[.]

Sanhok in 2026 for PUBG and PUBG Mobile

In 2026, Sanhok is not dead.

Sanhok has seen many changes, especially on the PC and console versions. Krafton's most significant recent change to Sanhok is Direct Environment Damage (3 types of destructible terrain), which was first added to Sanhok and then added to Erangel with Update 41.1. Players can now destroy parts and change the environment with Frag Grenades, Mortars, C4, and/or Pickaxes. This gives a whole new, tactical use of grenades that wasn't currently available in the original version of Sanhok as of 2018.

Another part that is different between Sanhok and Erangel is how the two maps were built. The developer of Krafton said that building destruction in Sanhok was not a feature to be used on the lava of Erangel but instead a feature that was designed specifically for the Sanhok map. This indicates that the destruction mechanic was built with Sanhok's layout and combat flow in mind rather than as a universal feature on every map.

Lastly, Sanhok is still in the ranked rotation for PUBG. It will be in the mobile ranked game list for the entire Season 29 (2026) for mobile devices. Update 4.3 also shows that the S12K and M14 are being added onto Livik and Sanhok. This proves that the map is still getting balanced and weapon distribution attention versus simply put on "autopilot."

If you are looking to see if Sanhok is currently live in your region on PUBG: Battlegrounds your best bet is to check the" official map service report" that comes with each patch. The region you are playing in and your update window will determine how often your rotation will be.

Sanhok Release Date FAQ

Sanhok was released in PUBG on what date? On June 22nd, 2018 Sanhok was available on the PUBG PC Live Server; prior to that Sanhok was on an experimental server referred to as Codename: Save.

When did PUBG Mobile get Sanhok? Sanhok was made available for PUBG Mobile with patch update 0.8.0 in November 2018. Some regions had access to the patch update prior to others therefore the local dates may vary.

Why are there conflicting Dates for Sanhok online?

Several reasons contribute to the conflicting dates:

1.) The Experimental Server Period is often confused with the Live Release.

2.) The PC, Xbox, PS4 & mobile platforms got Sanhok at different times.

3.) Most websites archive the Codename: Savage Test Phase as the official release.

What is Sanhok, mean and how do you pronounce it? Sanhok is pronounced."Sahnok". The term is the combination of the Thai word for fun as well as the Filipino word for chicken which fits with the "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" catchphrase associated with player unknowns battlegrounds. In addition to that, being that both Thailand and The Philippines were used as a basis of the "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" concept makes Sanhok a crucial part of the early success of PUBG Mobile in Asia.

Conclusion

In brief: in answer to the question "when was Sanhok released? by the PC Live server on June 22.2018, other platforms were rolled out as late as July 2018 on Xbox One and December 2018 for PS4 at the time of launch with PUBG; mobile was updated with patch update 0.8.0 in November 2018.

This is the reason there has been so many conflicting dates surrounding Sanhok within the gaming community, separating the PC Live server date from the Console date and mobile patch has given a clearer timeline. Ultimately even today, seven years since it was made available, Sanhok has its own distinct fast-paced & aggressive gameplay, In addition, it is one of the maps that has had the biggest impact on defining the identity of Players unknown Battlegrounds.