PUBG: Ded.Net – what’s hot about the newly announced PUBG game?

Krafton has just introduced PUBG: DED.NET at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, a multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) game incorporating the Roguelite system, set in the strange and unpredictable world of Cascadia in the 1990s.

Krafton has a knack for expanding the PUBG universe in directions no one expected, and PUBG: DED.NET is perhaps its boldest move yet. The game just debuted at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, and from the introduction trailer, gamers can see that this is not a regular PUBG successor.

What makes PUBG: DED.NET different?

According to the official description from Krafton, PUBG: DED.NET is a multiplayer FPS shooter that combines shooting gameplay with the Roguelite system through each turn, set in the strange and unpredictable world of Cascadia in the 90s. This is a notable difference from PUBG: Battlegrounds as the game focuses on building and changing the combat approach through each turn.

In PUBG: Ded.Net, each match is more than just an independent play session. The resources players collect can influence how they fight in subsequent turns, while the skill system allows for multiple combinations of abilities to build their own play style.

Context also plays an important role in Ded.Net. Cascadia 1990 was built on inspiration from the American Pacific Northwest of the 90s, giving the game its own style, representing an attempt to distance DED.NET from the serious tactical tone of the mainstream PUBG series.

Important note:

Krafton is currently opening registration for the Closed Beta for PUBG: DED.NET on the official website. Players can sign up for the waiting list using a KRAFTON account. The specific time of the Beta has not yet been announced.

How does Ded.Net fit into the expanding PUBG universe?

PUBG: Battlegrounds was released in 2017 and is one of the prominent names in the Battle Royale genre. PUBG Mobile mobile version continues to expand the PUBG brand in many global markets. Krafton has also developed many other projects to expand the PUBG IP beyond the traditional Battle Royale experience.

Ded.Net is one of the new games in the PUBG universe that is being developed. Besides, PUBG: Black Budget is also a separate project being developed in the direction of FPS tactical shooting. The game puts you in the role of a Contractor on a mission on a mysterious island stuck in a time loop, combining elements of PvPvE, exploration, combat, and resource gathering.

The above two projects chose different approaches. Black Budget focuses on a tactical shooter experience, while Ded.Net combines a multiplayer FPS with a Roguelite system. This shows that Krafton is exploiting PUBG IP in many styles instead of just focusing on a single formula.

What does Roguelite gameplay actually change?

Combining multiplayer FPS with the Roguelite system is the most notable point of PUBG: Ded.Net. According to official information, gamers can experiment, adapt and build their own approach through progression between turns. The game also allows combining many abilities to create different fighting styles.

This means each playthrough can require you to adjust your approach based on what you’ve gathered and the abilities you possess, rather than relying entirely on a set set of equipment. Krafton describes each loss as part of progression, while resources and progression can be used to develop the next play.

Besides the Roguelite system, the Cascadia context of the 1990s also gives DED.NET a different style, which Krafton used to build a world with its own color tone, separate from the familiar modern battlefield image of PUBG: Battlegrounds.

Conclusion

For PUBG fans interested in the new direction of the franchise, PUBG DED.NET is a project worth keeping an eye on. The combination of FPS multiplayer, PvP and Roguelite progression creates a distinct point of difference, while the Cascadia 1990 setting provides a unique style. However, the actual quality of the gameplay system and the ability to maintain a long-term experience still need to be further evaluated when the Closed Beta takes place.