Krafton
Krafton business and news from across the web.
PUBG’s top-down experiment is over before it really got startedKrafton is shutting down PUBG: Blindspot today, March 30, less than two months after its early access launch. The top-down tactical shooter, which differed from the mainline battle royale format, struggled with low player counts and matchmaking times. Despite efforts to improve the experience, Krafton concluded it could not deliver a meaningful ongoing experience through Early Access.
Krafton shutters free-to-play PUBG spin-off after two months, in line with policy of using Early Access to "quickly validate a game’s potential"Krafton has shut down its free-to-play PC spin-off PUBG Blindspot after only two months in Early Access due to declining player counts. Despite the PUBG franchise achieving record revenues, the company is adhering to its policy of using Early Access to quickly validate game potential. The decision was made after player numbers dwindled significantly since its January launch.- Krafton Shutting Down PUBG Blindspot Just Weeks After February LaunchKrafton is shutting down its tactical spinoff game PUBG Blindspot on March 30, just weeks after its February 5 early access launch. The multiplayer title struggled to maintain player interest, with concurrent player counts falling significantly after its initial launch weekend.
Krafton Shutting Down PUBG Blindspot Just Weeks After February LaunchKrafton is shutting down its 5v5 tactical spinoff, PUBG Blindspot, on March 30, just weeks after its February 5 early access launch. The game failed to maintain player interest, with concurrent player counts dropping significantly after its initial launch weekend.
Krafton cancels F2P PUBG spin-off PUBG: Blindspot after just 2 monthsKrafton has announced the shutdown of its free-to-play PUBG spin-off, PUBG: Blindspot, after only two months of early access. The servers will be closed on March 30th due to the inability to sustainably provide the intended player experience. The Arc Team expressed gratitude to players and indicated a potential return with new experiences in the future.- I missed my chance to play tactical shooter PUBG Blindspot, and now I'm filled with regretArc Team and Krafton have announced that the tactical shooter PUBG: Blindspot will cease operations at the end of March. Despite a positive reception on Steam, the multiplayer service will be discontinued.
PGS 2 Survival Stage Live: Can Petrichor Road Hold the Line?The Survival Stage of the PUBG Global Series 2 (PGS 2) esports tournament is currently underway, featuring defending champions Petrichor Road. Krafton has outlined the schedule, with the Final Stage set for March 28-29. Viewers can earn PUBG 9th Anniversary drops by tuning into live broadcasts on Twitch and Kick.
PUBG: Blindspot is closing after less than 2 months of early accessPUBG: Blindspot, a top-down tactical shooter developed by Arc Team and published by Krafton, will cease its early access service on March 30, less than two months after its February launch. The game struggled with low player counts, leading to difficulties in matchmaking and an unsustainable player experience. Arc Team plans to regroup and explore future projects.
PUBG: Blindspot is going offline forever after just two months in early access, despite Krafton's record Battlegrounds revenuesThe free-to-play tactical shooter PUBG: Blindspot will be shut down on March 30th, just two months after its early access launch on February 5th. Developers Arc Team cited an inability to sustainably provide the intended player experience. This comes despite Krafton, the publisher, reporting record revenues from PUBG: Battlegrounds.
Stellar Blade's Eve Invades PUBG in Unexpected CrossoverPUBG is featuring a crossover with Stellar Blade, adding the protagonist Eve to the popular battle royale. Developed by PUBG Studios and owned by Krafton, the game remains a significant player in the genre across PC, console, and mobile platforms. This collaboration with Shift Up's Stellar Blade may entice players to return to PUBG.
Stellar Blade's Eve Is Beginning to Appear EverywhereStellar Blade's protagonist Eve is appearing in multiple crossover events, including as a skin in PUBG starting April 8th on PC and April 16th on consoles. Additionally, themed booster packs featuring Eve and Raven will be available for the trading card game Nivel Arena beginning May 8th. Developer Shift Up is also working on a sequel and potential ports of Stellar Blade to other consoles.
New inZOI patch dubbed the "GTA 6 update" by eager fans, adding everything from cozy flower shops to car theft…Krafton has released a significant update for its life simulation game inZOI, version 0.7.0, which adds new businesses, a minimap, and driving features including car theft, leading fans to dub it the "GTA 6 update." The patch also revamps babies, character creation, and social interactions, aiming to address player feedback and improve the Early Access experience.
The New PUBG Game Is Closing After Less Than 2 MonthsKrafton's free-to-play spin-off game, PUBG: Blindspot, developed by ARC Team, will shut down on March 30, less than two months after its early-access launch. The 5v5 tactical shooter failed to attract a sustainable player base. ARC Team plans to regroup and develop new experiences in the future.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn’s Development Involved Generative AI For Prototypes, PlaceholdersOwlcat Games has confirmed that its upcoming RPG, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, utilized generative AI for early-stage development, including prototyping and placeholder assets. The studio emphasizes that no AI-generated assets will be present in the final game, with all final content being human-made. This approach contrasts with some industry figures like Todd Howard of Bethesda Game Studios, who expressed caution about AI's role in game development, and Strauss Zelnick of Take-Two Interactive, who stated Rockstar Games is not using AI for creative aspects of Grand Theft Auto 6.- Golden Tides is a new Krafton-funded MOBA featuring a piratical theme and nautical gameplay twistsGolden Tides, a new MOBA developed by Psychedelic Games and funded by Krafton, features a piratical theme with dynamic 20-25 minute matches focused on treasure hunting and naval combat. The game recently secured $3.5 million in funding and is preparing for a playtest in the second quarter of the year.
Mark Zuckerberg is building an AI co-CEO as part of his continuing mission to free himself from the burden of human…Meta is developing an AI agent to assist CEO Mark Zuckerberg with information retrieval and executive duties, aiming to reduce his reliance on human interaction. This initiative is part of Meta's broader strategy to integrate AI into its core operations and develop AI-native tools for employees, alongside plans for significant staff reductions.
PUBG Battleground 2026 Roadmap features destruction, map changes, meta shifts, and all new for fun modesKrafton has revealed the PUBG: Battlegrounds 2026 roadmap, which includes significant updates such as destructible terrain on Erangel and Ranked Mode, seasonal weather themes, and new attachments. The roadmap also details meta shifts every four months, regular balance patches, and the introduction of new modes like Arcade, Rumble, Xeno Point, and PAYDAY, alongside a mysterious new genre project for Winter 2026.- MMO Week in Review: EverQuest celebrates 27 years and a lawsuit settlement in its favorEverQuest celebrated its 27th anniversary with a lawsuit settlement that favors Daybreak Game Company, keeping emulators offline. This week also saw layoffs at Amazon for Lost Ark developers, Facebook scaling back VR metaverse ambitions, and discussions around various MMORPG updates and industry trends.
Geoff 'Zag' Keene, design director of Abiotic Factor, has 1,160 hours in PUBG and de-stresses using a Blizzard classic: 'Instead of going to therapy, guys will literally boot up Warcraft 2'Geoff Keene, design director for Abiotic Factor, discusses his gaming habits and inspirations. He reveals a deep fondness for Warcraft 2 as a de-stressing tool and has over 1,160 hours in PUBG, which he credits as an influence on the extraction shooter genre. Keene also expresses excitement for future updates and DLC for Abiotic Factor.
inZOI’s Major Canvas Update Reshapes Property Building on March 26The inZOI Team announced that update v0.7.0, releasing March 26, will introduce standardized property sizes to the Canvas building system. This change aims to increase reusability for player-created buildings and improve browsing with new filters, though some existing properties will be downsized. The developers are implementing measures to mitigate potential issues with existing builds and encourage manual saves before the update.