Winter Race: A Nostalgic Ride Through Vikendi's Chills

The wind howled across Vikendi's frozen landscape, but inside the cozy lobby, a squad of four was gearing up for something special. It was December 2021, and PUBG's LABS had just dropped a limited-time mode that promised to chase away the winter blues: Winter Race. Forget about chicken dinners for a moment—this was all about the checkered flag. The squad, let's call them the Snowplows, had heard the buzz and decided to give it a shot. After all, who could resist the allure of high-speed chaos on ice?

The countdown timer ticked away, and the squad had to pick their rides. The choices were Motorbike, Pickup, Coupe RB, Quad, and Zima—each with its own quirks. "Speed or durability?" mused Jake, the squad's wheelman. "I'm leaning toward the Coupe RB. Sleek and fast, just like me." The others laughed. They compared stats, weighing the trade-offs. The Pickup offered a balance, the Zima was a snow-ready beast, and the Quad came with protective gear. The Motorbike? No weapons or boosts, but nimble as a hare. In the end, they went with a mix: two Coupe RBs for speed, a Pickup for muscle, and a Quad for defense. It was a gamble, but hey, fortune favors the bold.

When the match loaded, they found themselves on Track 2—a circular circuit requiring two laps. "Easy peasy," said Mia, the squad's strategist. But she knew better than to underestimate the chaos. The track was randomly selected from five options: a straight sprint, a circular loop, a square circuit, a return-to-start run, or a frozen straight line. Each brought its own flavor of mayhem. The circular track meant constant turning, drifting, and the risk of getting T-boned by an overzealous opponent.

Checkpoints dotted the route, and the squad knew the drill: drive through them or risk being respawned at the last one if they strayed too far off-track. "Stay on the road, stay alive," Jake muttered, gripping the wheel. The race hadn't even started, but the tension was palpable.

Finally, the countdown hit zero. Engines roared to life, and the Snowplows surged forward. For the first 10 seconds, they were invincible—a safety net to prevent instant carnage. But after that, it was every squad for themselves. The air filled with the sounds of screeching tires and revving engines. Mia grabbed a blue ammo crate, stocking up on rounds for her equipped weapon. Jake snagged a red boost crate, hitting the Shift key to unleash a speed boost. "Eat my snow dust!" he yelled, weaving through the pack.

Crates were the name of the game. Blue ammo crates gave you firepower, red boost crates offered speed and vehicle weapons, purple throwable crates served up grenades and spike traps, yellow weapon crates provided ice flare gun ammo, and black Red Zone crates—those were the wildcards. They spawned a Red Zone in the next checkpoint area for the leader, turning the frontrunner's path into a danger zone. "Whoever grabbed that black crate just made a enemy for life," Mia chuckled as explosions rocked the track ahead.

The Pickup, Coupe RB, and Zima could equip weapons to ram opponents, while the Quad could don protective gear to block damage. Motorbikes, poor things, got neither—but their speed was boost enough. The Snowplows used their weapons wisely, ramming a rival Pickup into a snowbank and tossing a sticky bomb at a fleeing Coupe. "That's how we roll!" Jake laughed, but his joy was short-lived as a spike trap popped his tires.

Lap after lap, the race wore on. Respawns were a thing—5 seconds of invincibility after each one—but nobody wanted to give up ground. The finish line loomed, and the first player to cross it would win it for their squad. The Snowplows were in third place, but Mia had a plan. She grabbed a speed boost, aimed for the final checkpoint, and floored it. The Coupe RB shot forward like a bullet, crossing the line just inches ahead of a rival Zima.

"We did it!" the squad cheered. The race ended 60 seconds after their victory, but the celebration lasted much longer. Winter Race had been a blast—a chaotic, adrenaline-fueled diversion from the usual battle royale grind. It didn't affect career stats or match history, and there were no XP rewards, but none of that mattered. It was pure, unadulterated fun.

Looking back from 2026, the Snowplows still fondly remember that December. Winter Race was a limited-time event, running from December 14 to 26, 2021, on PC and console. PC matches had up to 20 players (five squads of four), while console capped at 16 (four squads). It was TPP only, on Vikendi, and you could only play as a 4-man squad—auto-fill if you were short. Custom matches were a thing, but only PUBG Partners could create sessions. No replays, no rewards, just the thrill of the race.

If you ever get the chance to hop into a time machine or if PUBG brings it back, do it. Buckle up, grab a boost, and remember: in Winter Race, it's not about the destination—it's about the icy, chaotic journey. And maybe a few well-placed sticky bombs. ❄️🏁