It's just you, I swap between modes and it's completely random. Landed at those ruins in the north east of the map playing duo and 3 other teams dropped. I am not even joking when I tell you I was extremely lucky to get a pistol, killed the other teams or they ran down the mountain, so completely uncontested looting... Nothing, we walked away from a spot which usually provides us with kitted UMP/uzis and SKS/Kar/AK/5.56 main weps with 1 pistol and a few meds between us!
Then I played solo and it happened again! I dropped at that fishing pier place opposite the military island and got a double barrel, 3 other players there and we didn't meet for quite some time and they were completely unarmed! Then I double checked the entire town and nothing, literally a double barrel and that's it, not even a crappy magnum lmao.
Now it's entirely possible somebody landed on good gear and left immediately but the odds of that happening quietly seem pretty low.
The looting in this game is crazy! lmao
Granted, those two spots are quite small and don't have the best loot density but they're usually quite fruitful and offer some early game fun without the absurd dice rolling School/Military involve.
Edit: The ruins are called Stabler and the town is called 'Fish Town' according to this map, and both of them are considered decent loot spots!
https://imgur.com/a/N1ZUA#yc2E4y5
It makes me wonder how this game would have done if it came out with load outs etc. and balanced spawn points with the circle mechanic. Looting is an unhealthy mechanic but I do wonder if that is what makes this genre popular.