Krafton Reveals PUBG: Black Budget Extraction Shooter

Krafton has officially expanded its massive gaming universe with the reveal of PUBG: Black Budget, a new extraction shooter designed to rival genre giants like Escape from Tarkov and Embark Studios' Arc Raiders. Developed by PUBG Studios and formally announced on November 21, 2025, the title is setting its sights on the high-stakes tactical market. Next month, the company will launch a closed alpha test for PC players on Steam to spark immediate community engagement.

In a break from industry norms, Krafton has opted for a completely transparent testing phase by forgoing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), meaning participants in North America, Europe, and Asia are free to stream, record, and share their gameplay experiences immediately.

The testing phase is scheduled for two distinct sessions in December. The first wave will run from Friday, December 12 (01:00 PST) to Sunday, December 14 (23:59 PST). The second session will follow shortly after, beginning on Friday, December 19 (01:00 PST) concluding on Sunday, December 21 (23:59 PST).

While no official release date has been confirmed for the full game, the alpha phase will focus on stress-testing combat pacing, extraction balance, early-game systems, and player progression mechanics.

Gameplay Mechanics: Survival, Looping, and The Anomaly

PUBG: Black Budget signals a major departure in gameplay mechanics from the standard Battle Royale formula, offering a narrative-driven PvPvE experience designed primarily with a first-person perspective in mind. The game will transport players to a mysterious 2.5 by 2.5 km island named Coli, where they will remain trapped in a repeating time loop plagued by a supernatural event known as "the Anomaly". According to reports, the matches are designed to last up to 30 minutes and will accommodate a maximum of 45 players per session.

Players can deploy solo or in squads of up to three, utilising a matchmaking system that balances sessions based on player level and group size.

The core gameplay loop is built on the unforgiving principles of extraction shooters, where death results in the loss of all gear brought into the match. Survivors who manage to extract retain their collected loot, which is utilised to upgrade a personal "Base", craft equipment, and improve skills through a meta-progression system.

To differentiate itself from competitors, Krafton is borrowing a key mechanic from its roots: Anomaly functions like the classic 'Blue Zone,' which gradually reduces the playable space. This feature is designed to escalate player encounters and heighten tension as the match progresses, solving the camping issues that are common in the extraction genre.

This announcement marks a rapid expansion for the series, serving as the second PUBG title unveiled this year after the February unveiling of PUBG: Blindspot, a 5v5 tactical shooter.

This aggressive expansion aligns with the South Korean publisher's strategic goal to grow the IP into a $10 billion annual value asset. The franchise, which began in March 2017 with the early access release of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, has evolved into a global powerhouse. 

With Black Budget, Krafton is looking to secure the next decade of dominance by competing directly against Escape from Tarkov, which just launched its 1.0 version, and the critically acclaimed Arc Raiders.