Welcome to the ultimate battle for life and death…

PUBG: Battlegrounds will expand the core Battle Royale experience enjoyed by millions of players into a highly competitive player vs. player (PvP) game in a dynamic open world.

PUBG: Battlegrounds will put up to 64 players on a remote island for a winner-takes-all showdown where strategic gameplay is as important as shooting skills. Players will enter a last-man-standing battle where they try to locate weapons, vehicles and supplies in a graphically and tactically rich battleground that eventually forces players into a shrinking safe area as they engage in a tense and spectacular fight to the death.

When the match starts, players have no items or weapons. To progress, they can try to commandeer a vehicle to discover a high-value location, search for weapons or employ other diversified tactics with a goal of being the last man standing. All weapons can be upgraded with attachments such as sights and suppressors and both road and off-road vehicles will be available to players.

Kill or be killed in a fight to be the last man standing.

KRAFTON unveiled the 2026 development roadmap for PUBG: Battlegrounds, outlining plans to deliver deeper and more refined gameplay.

PUBG’s roadmap will be built around two key directions this year: the evolution and innovation of the gameplay experience, and the advancement of its live service through diverse content.

Unreal Engine 5

In last year’s roadmap, We said that adopting Unreal Engine 5 would be part of laying the foundation for PUBG’s future expansion, and that the visual upgrade would be the first noticeable change. However, as development progressed, we reached a clear conclusion: this cannot just be a simple engine port.

Given your high expectations, we've partially revised our original plans, redefined our tasks, and are fully focused on delivering the most authentic PUBG experience possible. As a result, some of the service plans originally targeting the PUBG’s 10th anniversary in 2027 have also been adjusted.

As this is all part of preparing for an even bigger leap forward, we hope you’ll continue to trust us and be a little more patient. And to make sure that wait is worthwhile, we’d now like to walk you through the changes and new experiences that we have lined up for 2026.

Evolution and Innovation of Gameplay Experience

KRAFTON is evolving PUBG’s core gameplay by introducing new systems, expanding tactical depth, and refining competitive and progression experiences.

• Map & World Updates: Destructible Terrain will arrive on Erangel next month, allowing players to reshape the battlefield by creating cover even in open areas. Miramar will introduce Secret Rooms, adding new layers of exploration and reward, while updates to Rondo will further enhance looting efficiency and route planning.
• New Tactical Systems & Features: Interactive Smoke will behave as a physical entity influenced by environmental factors such as wind and explosions, introducing new tactical depth in combat. Additional features, including item call-ins at Blue Chip Towers and upgrades to the equipment system, will expand strategic decision-making during matches.
• Gunplay & Combat Evolution: Gunplay will be refined through a new meta rotation system, where dominant weapon classes rotate seasonally to keep combat fresh. Major updates will be delivered every four months, supported by balance patches every two months. New weapons and attachments will be introduced, while underutilized ones may be removed to maintain a healthy gameplay ecosystem.
• Competitive & Progression Improvements: Ranked mode will be enhanced with a more intuitive Ranking Points system that better reflects player performance. Season structures and rewards will be improved, while the Contender system will expand to deepen character customization. Event Passes tied to game modes and esports will also be broadened to increase player engagement and satisfaction.
• Quality of Life & New Formats: Ongoing UI improvements and quality-of-life updates will continue throughout the year, alongside the introduction of new casual competitive formats designed to diversify the player experience.

Advancement of Live Service Through Diverse Content:

KRAFTON is expanding PUBG into a broader platform with new modes, community-driven content, and continued investment in service stability.

• New High-Quality Modes & Experiences: In April, KRAFTON will introduce Xeno Point, a co-op roguelite looter-shooter that blends progression systems with strategic gameplay. In addition, the company is preparing to unveil PAYDAY, a co-op heist mode developed in collaboration with Sweden-based studio Starbreeze, emphasizing stealth, planning, and teamwork to deliver a distinct gameplay experience.
• UGC Expansion: User Generated Content (UGC) will enter a phase of full-scale expansion. Creation tools and devices will be enhanced to support a wider variety of player-created modes, while performance optimizations will improve the development environment. A dedicated UGC hub will also be introduced, making it easier for players to discover and engage with community content.
• Service & Infrastructure Improvements: KRAFTON is accelerating efforts to deliver a more stable and secure service environment. Server infrastructure will be expanded to improve overall performance, particularly on console. Anti-cheat systems will be strengthened through improved detection accuracy, a more refined review process for false sanctions, and enhanced region- and platform-specific enforcement strategies. Addressing DMA-based cheating will remain a top priority through ongoing research and development.

 

Key Features:

• Custom Games: Being implemented after Early Access, this feature will allow select groups of players to create and host their own games with special server configurations, such as the number of players, option to spectate the round, play or set the game as private with password and more. Additional information about custom games will be announced after Early Access launch.
• Realistic Gunplay: Players use real-world weapons found via supply drops to create an authentic and visceral experience.
• Massive 8km x 8km World: Players begin as weak survivors and develop into powerful soldiers on a massive, deserted island set in Eastern Europe.
• Built with Unreal Engine 4: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds utilizes the latest development tools to deliver realistic visuals, animations and gameplay.
• In-Depth Loot System: Players will uncover a wide variety of weapons, armor, attachments, and much more as they explore – and battle – across the world.
• Player-Focused Metagame Tools: Leaderboards and statistics plus replays and spectator mode tools are coming after Early Access launch.
• Loads of Localization: Launching into twelve languages (English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic) with translations coming directly from the community.

PUBG: Battlegrounds is currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam).