When PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS wanted to send players into the new year on a high note, it brought back a familiar crowd-pleaser. The Spring Fest 2024 collection returned alongside a dedicated New Year’s event, and the centerpiece was hard to miss. Players found themselves chasing the Zhu Bajie - M416 Progressive weapon skin once again, with a brand-new Teal Orange Chroma adding a fresh twist. Even those who do not spend a single coin could enter the lobby and grab a free 2025 Happy New Year’s Gift, making the celebration feel generous.

Heads-up: the dates tied to this event belonged to the 2024-2025 holiday cycle. Anyone reading in 2026 should treat them as a record of how that rollout worked, because PUBG frequently shuffles event schedules, inventory pools, and promotional windows. Still, the structure offers a solid idea of what to expect whenever these seasonal collections rotate back.

The main attraction: Zhu Bajie - M416

[PROGRESSIVE] Zhu Bajie - M416 works differently from a standard weapon skin. It is a Progressive cosmetic, which means it can unlock extra visual stages and details as players interact with it. Those unlockable options are listed on the Hideout - Weapon page in game, so completionists will want to check that section after securing the skin. The new [CHROMA] Zhu Bajie - M416 (Teal Orange) changes the weapon’s appearance even further, giving the M416 a bold teal-and-orange finish. It arrived specifically for this rerun, which instantly made it the prize many collectors wanted most.

How the New Year’s Contraband Crate worked

All the Zhu Bajie gear came through the New Year’s Contraband Crate. Because it is a Contraband Crate, the drop rates are visible before purchase. Players can open the Hideout, navigate to Contraband, then select More Details and View Probabilities to see exactly what kind of odds they are working with. That transparency matters a lot when deciding whether to invest in a Progressive skin or a Chroma.

A small but valuable bonus appeared on the first ten-pack purchase. The Zhu Bajie - Contraband Crate (Open 10) carried a 50% discount for the first purchase only. That made a ten-open bundle noticeably cheaper for players who planned to test their luck anyway.

Featured item	Platform	Original sales window
[PROGRESSIVE] Zhu Bajie - M416	PC & Console	January 1, 2025, 00:00 - January 15, 2025, 00:00
[CHROMA] Zhu Bajie - M416 (Teal Orange)	PC & Console	January 1, 2025, 00:00 - January 15, 2025, 00:00
First purchase 50% discount on Open 10 crate	PC & Console	January 1, 2025, 00:00 - January 15, 2025, 00:00

The free gift nobody had to grind for

The 2025 Happy New Year’s Gift was handed out simply for entering the lobby. Its availability window ran from December 31, 15:00 to January 7, 2025, 07:00 on PC and console. The gift itself acted like a small reward package, with a chance to include Contraband Coupons that could help with future crate openings. Here is how the probabilities broke down:

Reward	Chance
New Year's Gift	30%
New Year's Gift + Contraband Coupon x5	20%
New Year's Gift + Contraband Coupon x10	20%
New Year's Gift + Contraband Coupon x50	20%
New Year's Gift + Contraband Coupon x100	10%

Smart play around limited-time crates

Players who only wanted to dip their toes had a pretty clean path. Log in during the gift window, open the free reward, and let the coupon outcome decide whether extra crate pulls made sense. The 50% first-purchase discount on the ten-pack was another logical threshold for anyone who planned to open multiple crates at once.

One thing to keep in mind is that PUBG often brings popular cosmetics back through other in-game platforms. The Workshop, Your Shop, and similar systems can feature previously sold items, even after a sales period ends. That does not guarantee the same discount or the same Chroma will reappear, but it does mean missing one window is not always the end of the story.

For dedicated collectors, the new Teal Orange Chroma was the rarest reason to care. Base Progressive skins tend to return more often, while specific Chromas can feel more limited. Checking the Hideout’s probability page before spending remains the best habit, especially when the discounted ten-crate pack is sitting right there waiting.