PUBG Studios, under KRAFTON, has announced the termination of development for PUBG: Black Budget. The studio stated that after reviewing the project's current status and future direction, they determined it would be difficult to provide a long-term enjoyable gaming experience in its current form, leading to the decision to halt development. The game was originally intended as a standalone extraction shooter exploring this gameplay style within the PUBG series.
In the revealed settings, players take on the role of experts hired for covert operations, traveling to a remote island to recover advanced technology from research facilities. The island is trapped in a time loop and eroded by phenomena known as "Anomalies"; the story also involves the mysterious "SAPIENS Project."
The game was originally planned to let players recover relics and research findings, build and expand their personal base, craft equipment, upgrade skills, and deal with threats from other players and the environment. The title previously held two closed Alpha tests on Steam.
PUBG Studios thanked the players who participated in the tests and provided feedback. The studio stated that it will apply the experience gained during development and testing to future projects, continuing to listen to player feedback while exploring new gameplay concepts; no specific details about subsequent projects have been announced yet.