PUBG January 2023 Store Update: Guardians, Phoenix M416, and Spring Fest Memories

As a regular PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS player, I still remember how the first Store update of January 2023 felt. It arrived with SPRING FEST 2023, a celebration built around four Guardians, and a whole set of four Progressive Weapon Skins. Back then, I was excited to see the White Tiger, Phoenix, Azure Dragon, and Black Tortoise woven into weapon cosmetics. Now, writing from 2026, those limited-time sales are long over, but the memory of chasing these skins remains vivid. The old notice also reminded players that items may reappear through other in-game platforms such as the Workshop, Your Shop, events, and promotions, and that sales periods were subject to change. That wording still matters today, because limited PUBG cosmetics often return in new forms.

🐯 The Four Guardians and the White Tiger Pan

I started with the White Tiger Pan because it was the most direct chase. The Step Up package guaranteed the progressive weapon skin for the White Tiger. The [PROGRESSIVE] White Tiger Pan had a maximum level of 3, with unlockable cosmetics: Lv. 1 Basic Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 2 Uncommon Skin Cosmetics, and Lv. 3 Killfeed Skin. I remember the PC sales period ran from January 17, 2023, after live server maintenance, to March 1, 2023, at 4 PM PST. Console players had a slightly later window, from January 25, 2023, to March 8, 2023, at 8 PM PST. The legal note was important too: due to regulations, the Phoenix Contraband Ticket Step Up packages were not available for purchase in Belgium and the Netherlands. For me, the White Tiger Pan felt like a talisman, a sign that the new year would be full of powerful moments.

🔥 Phoenix Contraband Tickets and the Phoenix M416

Next came the Phoenix, the mythical bird presiding over the South. The Phoenix Contraband Ticket Step Up package offered discounts of up to 90%, which was hard to ignore. I could also buy Phoenix Contraband Tickets individually. The Phoenix Contraband Ticket Set cost 200 G-COIN and included one Phoenix Contraband Ticket plus 10 Scrap. The tickets opened Phoenix Contraband Crates, and the headline reward was the [PROGRESSIVE] Phoenix – M416, a max-level-10 progressive skin. Its unlockable cosmetics were extensive: Lv. 1 Basic Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 2 Total Kills Battlestat, Lv. 3 Inspect Weapon Animation, Lv. 4 Uncommon Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 5 Basic Killfeed Skin, Lv. 6 Magazine / Muzzle / Grip Skin, Lv. 7 Loot Crate Skin, Lv. 8 Rare Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 9 Special Killfeed Skin, and Lv. 10 Scope / Stock Skin. One detail I always remembered: Scraps were not provided in Phoenix Contraband Crates. Instead, Scraps came through Phoenix Contraband Ticket sets. The tickets had expiration dates, so I had to use them before they burst into flames. PC tickets expired around March 6, 2023, while console tickets expired around March 13, 2023. The Phoenix Contraband Tickets were also not available for purchase in Belgium and the Netherlands due to legal regulations.

🐉 Workshop Special Crafting: Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise

The Workshop was where I felt the real grind. Two new progressive weapon skins were available only through Special Crafting: [PROGRESSIVE] Azure Dragon – Beryl M762, max level 10, and [PROGRESSIVE] Black Tortoise – SKS, max level 6. I used SPRING FEST 2023 TOKENS in the Special Crafting – SPRING FEST 2023 tab. The Azure Dragon Beryl M762 unlocked Basic Skin Cosmetics at Lv. 1, Magazine / Muzzle / Grip Skin at Lv. 2, Total Kills Battlestat at Lv. 3, Uncommon Skin Cosmetics at Lv. 4, Inspect Weapon Animation at Lv. 5, Basic Killfeed Skin at Lv. 6, Loot Crate Skin at Lv. 7, Rare Skin Cosmetics at Lv. 8, Scope Skin at Lv. 9, and Special Killfeed Skin at Lv. 10. The Black Tortoise SKS was shorter but still beautiful: Lv. 1 Basic Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 2 Magazine / Muzzle / Grip Skin, Lv. 3 Total Kills Battlestat, Lv. 4 Uncommon Skin Cosmetics, Lv. 5 Scope / Stock Skin, and Lv. 6 Killfeed Skin. The Loot Cache Packs were sold in several bundles: 1 pack for 250 G-COIN, 11 packs for 2,500 G-COIN, 27 packs for 6,250 G-COIN, and 55 packs for 12,500 G-COIN. The larger bundles included bonus SPRING FEST 2023 TOKENs and, for the biggest ones, a SPRING FEST 2023 PRIME PARCEL. The Special Crafting tab closed on March 6, 2023, for PC and March 13, 2023, for console. The Workshop Loot Cache Packs were not available for purchase in Belgium and the Netherlands due to legal regulations.

🎉 Crafter Pass: SPRING FEST 2023

The Crafter Pass: SPRING FEST 2023 was the seasonal companion. I remember it as a hopeful new-year pass, with missions that rewarded glamorous Guardians costumes and Workshop materials. The Advanced Pack cost 3,500 G-COIN, and the Token Pack cost 990 G-COIN. One scheduling quirk stood out: the Crafter Pass ended on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday because of shifts in the update schedule. That gave everyone an extra day to complete Week 6 missions. As a player who often left missions to the last minute, I appreciated that extra day.

🐢 Tortoise Spirit – Groza Value Pack

I also remember the Tortoise Spirit – Groza Value Pack, priced at $9.99. It included the Tortoise Spirit – Groza and bonus G-COIN: 1,050 G-COIN on PC and 1,100 G-COIN on console. It was not a progressive skin, but it fit the Guardian theme and gave a sturdy, grounded feel to the Groza. For players who wanted to gear up without chasing a full progressive weapon, it was a tempting option.

📦 Items Leaving the Store

The new year also meant saying goodbye. The Survivor Pass: Vikendi Reborn, which came with one of the biggest Vikendi updates, was leaving the Store soon. The Survivor Pass: Vikendi Reborn Weapon & Level Pack cost 3,270 G-COIN, and the Weapon Pack cost 990 G-COIN. HollywoodBob's collaborative goods were also leaving: the HollywoodBob Bundle cost 1,340 G-COIN and included a bonus Owned Spray, while individual items included HollywoodBob's Sweatshirt for 500 G-COIN, HollywoodBob's Leggings for 500 G-COIN, and HollywoodBob's Mosin Nagant for 990 G-COIN. The Flurry P90 Value Pack, priced at $9.99 with bonus G-COIN, was another departure. The sales end dates differed between PC and console, and the Survivor Pass was not available for purchase in Belgium and the Netherlands due to legal regulations.

✨ Final Thoughts from 2026

Looking back from 2026, the January 2023 Store update feels like a time capsule. The four Guardians, the Phoenix M416, the Azure Dragon Beryl M762, the Black Tortoise SKS, and the White Tiger Pan all represented a moment when PUBG leaned into mythology and celebration. The sales periods have ended, and the tickets have expired, but the items may reappear through the Workshop, Your Shop, events, or promotions. If I see any of these Guardians return, I will probably chase them again. Until then, I will keep dropping into matches, chasing chicken dinners, and remembering the thrill of a new year store update. Happy New Year's shopping, and may your crates be kind.