As the latest entry in the "PUBG" universe, PUBG: DED.NET, unveiled at Gamescom 2026, certainly took many by surprise. In contrast to the original's heavy tactical shooter style, PUBG: DED.NET's trailer gave a completely different impression, packed with 1990s American pop culture elements, while its gameplay unexpectedly shifted to a "roguelike" format that seems worlds apart from "battle royale."
With such a drastic makeover, it's no surprise that players are scratching their heads: Is this familiar yet strange feeling still the "battle royale" we know?
Driven by this curiosity, we had the privilege of interviewing Dave Curd, Creative Director of PUBG: DED.NET, at Gamescom 2026, engaging in an in-depth discussion about gameplay design, world-building, and other topics of interest to players.
Below is the detailed interview content, with some phrasing adjusted for readability.
Q: Positioned as a new entry in the "PUBG" universe, how does PUBG: DED.NET relate to PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS in terms of worldview, timeline, and narrative? How does this new title expand and break through the "PUBG" IP?
A:"PUBG" itself is an engine exceptionally good at generating player stories. With PUBG: DED.NET, we wanted to tell a more specific story—one with a defined era, location, and tone. We hope to bring fans new characters and environments, and ideally, continue telling these stories together with our players.
The core of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is survival in desperate situations—adapting to harsh conditions, creatively using Everythinggj at hand, and doing whatever it takes to stay alive. Although PUBG: DED.NET changes the pace, progression, movement, and shooting feel, the core philosophy of improvising to survive remains a vital part of its "PUBG" heritage.
Q: PUBG: DED.NET is set in 1996 Cascadia, incorporating 90s American cultural symbols like the internet revolution, the dark web, reality TV, and uncensored violence... What was the core creative intent behind choosing this specific era and setting? What unique atmosphere did you hope to create?
A:I've always felt that eras of great change are particularly resonant—when two vastly different periods collide and transition, it naturally captures people's imagination. I think that's why Westerns strike such a deep chord: history's doors swing open and shut, civilization undergoes dramatic transformation, and such backdrops are inherently rich with stories.
So, while I certainly enjoy the music, fashion, and environments presented in PUBG: DED.NET... what attracts me most is actually the "era of great change" itself. The mid-90s marked the transition from landlines and dial-up internet to early online streaming. Meanwhile, reality TV rose to prominence, and television programs became increasingly bold and provocative. This shift from the analog to the digital age is inherently tense and provides many interesting entry points for gameplay.
Additionally, this setting holds special personal significance for me. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, PUBG: DED.NET is, in a way, a love letter to the era that shaped my youth. But our goal isn't just nostalgia; we want to reinterpret that era in our own way and share it with today's players.
Q: "Death is just the beginning of the journey" is the game's core narrative hook—how does this "bloody reality show" setting integrate deeply with actual gameplay? What story truths will players gradually uncover through the cycle of repeated death and rebirth?
A:We'll leave that part for players to discover for themselves!
Q: The game features a Roguelite progression system where players gain cumulative advantages across multiple matches, which is rare in the FPS genre. Could you explain this mechanism in detail—is player progression permanently inherited within a round, or are some buffs retained across rounds? In what specific aspects does character growth manifest?
A:A "round" consists of a series of matches—you gain abilities through out-of-match choices while simultaneously accumulating injuries. The status of this "round" is managed jointly by injuries and wins/losses. How each "round" unfolds depends entirely on the player. Your goal is to cash out—ending the "round" with a Chicken Dinner. However, if you accumulate too many injuries, you'll be forced to "burn out," ending the "round."
In each match, players gain new abilities through ROMz plugins—quirky game cartridges inserted into the characters' heads. ROMz open up new gameplay possibilities, making characters stronger over time. The longer a "round" lasts, the more advantages you can accumulate, but injuries pile up simultaneously. Thus, balancing the ideal build against the associated risks becomes a key part of the experience.
We wanted to try this design because I've always felt that giving players a secondary objective to pursue alongside the ultimate "Chicken Dinner" goal provides a great sense of satisfaction. It also keeps individual matches fresh—you don't know if the opponent in front of you is in the early or late stages of their "round," adding a unique tension to firefights.
Q: The description of exchanging flesh and safety for survival power is impressive. Does a similar system exist in the game? What risks and negative effects must players bear while pursuing greater combat power?
A:Before you get hands-on experience, I don't want to overwhelm you with too many systems. But at the highest level, imagine this—as your combat power truly peaks, you also need to manage various injuries that could affect actual performance.
For example, some injuries might cause you to cough involuntarily in foggy areas or put you at a disadvantage when reloading. Others are more destructive, such as continuously losing health while swimming or even causing you to drop your weapon. Players must weigh how extreme they want their build to be while managing the accumulating injuries along the way.
Q: The battlefield environment changes dynamically, meaning no single strategy remains effective long-term. Are these dynamic changes randomly generated or triggered in phases as the match progresses? In what ways do they force players to adjust their tactics?
A:We use a phased trigger system throughout the match to activate various abilities. Player choices, opponent choices, and a bit of card-drawing luck mean that no two matches are ever the same.
After a match, when given the opportunity to further develop your character, you might be drawn to an unexpected option, altering your entire build—your original assault-oriented role could potentially evolve into a trickster character due to these choices.
Q: Compared to the single-match, winner-takes-all experience of traditional battle royales, what kind of flow state does the multi-match loop design of PUBG: DED.NET aim to deliver? What are the approximate durations for a single match and a full "round"?
A:Like in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, you still want that Chicken Dinner. But the difference lies in the "round"—it's a journey spanning multiple matches, where you continuously select abilities that suit your playstyle to refine your character while mitigating injuries that hinder performance.
We've all had that "just one more win before bed" experience. In PUBG: DED.NET, you might lose a match, but upon returning to the post-match settlement screen, you could draw that key ability you've been waiting for. So, even if you lose a battle, you might still win the war.
Each match features 60 players competing in three-person squads. If you survive until the end, a single match lasts up to about 30 minutes. The length of a "round" depends on player choices and injury management. Testing shows that a "round" averages between 6 to 8 matches, reaching up to 10. Exceptionally skilled players can even extend their "rounds" further.
Unlike PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, where everyone starts on equal footing, players in a PUBG: DED.NET match may be at completely different stages of their respective "rounds"—some might be playing their first match, while others have already progressed several matches into their journey.
Q: Players can choose different characters to enter the reality show—do these characters have independent backstories, exclusive abilities, and growth paths? Does character differentiation mainly manifest in gameplay or narrative?
A:Each character has their own independent backstory, goals, and relationships of alliance and rivalry with others. They are also connected to the map itself—when characters reach locations meaningful to them, they voluntarily share related past events, helping you understand their history more deeply.
However, one thing is very important to us: we do not tie characters to gameplay stats—all selectable characters have no gameplay differences; the distinction lies purely in player choice.
Q: The Cascadia region includes eccentric small towns, labyrinthine forests, and deadly secrets. What structure was adopted for the map design? Is it a single large map or a combination of multiple scenes? What role does environmental storytelling play?
A:Like PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, this is a vast continent featuring diverse ecosystems, architectural complexes, towns, and strongholds—a large open map ready for free exploration. Cascadia spans roughly 5x5 kilometers, but the initial safe zone in each match is a smaller 2.5x2.5 kilometer area within it.
This is the most detailed environment we've ever created. The biggest difference compared to PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is vertical depth—there are more cliffs and high grounds. Beyond that, we've crafted extremely dense forests that facilitate cat-and-mouse chases, while rocky, rugged mountain areas are where snipers reign supreme.
Players will also discover some iconic locations unique to PUBG: DED.NET, such as the asylum, Cult strongholds, slaughterhouses, and our twisted, eerie children's playground—Cryptid Cove.
Q: The game mentions "horror and mystery" elements. How will the horror be presented? Will it focus primarily on psychological thriller aspects, monster design, or atmosphere creation? How does this contrast with PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS' consistent realistic military style?
A:I think the horror atmosphere is primarily conveyed through environmental design—you'll feel it when you venture into the tunnels beneath the Cult's strongholds. Additionally, there are our quirky characters, such as Pighead, Babyface, and the character with blade arms.
I think these thrilling moments create a striking contrast with PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS' consistently solid, realistic military aesthetic. Our goal is for anyone seeing the game's visuals to immediately recognize, "This is PUBG: DED.NET."
Q: From the revealed footage, the game combines wild natural textures with a retro, eerie small-town aesthetic. Which films or artistic styles did the art team reference for the visual style?
A:We took the team to Washington State for on-location research, gathering reference materials from small towns and various ecosystems. While we aren't aiming for 100% real-world accuracy, it was crucial to make Everythinggj feel solid and believable—this helps highlight the more terrifying elements even further.
The art team consulted so many references that we couldn't possibly cover them all here, but I can say that David Lynch's films were a major personal inspiration.
Q: The 90s-style soundtrack is a major selling point of the game. What is the specific musical style? Is the music merely background ambiance, or does it interact with gameplay mechanics?
A:We licensed a selection of rap, grunge, and alternative rock tracks. In-game, they emanate from expected sources—jukeboxes and sound systems in buildings like dive bars, strip clubs, grocery stores, and malls will play music.
Additionally, we have an ability where players can activate a boombox, releasing a "healing aura." This works particularly well when paired with riot shields!
There are also small radios on workbenches in the game to help players identify and locate crafting stations.
Any jukebox currently playing music can be destroyed—so if you need to carefully listen for other players' movements, your first step should be to "mute" the music!
Music was a vital part of 90s identity, so in PUBG: DED.NET, it's far more than just background noise—it's a key element in establishing the era and sense of place in Cascadia.
Q: This title explicitly adopts a "Console First" strategy and launches exclusively on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. What were the considerations behind this decision? Regarding controller operations, what exclusive optimizations were made for shooting feel, UI interaction, field of view, etc.?
A:As a Western studio, many of us grew up in an era of console-first development and have our own understanding of how games should feel on consoles. Historically, console players may not have been catered to as thoroughly as PC players—so we wanted to create a game specifically for living room players sitting on their couches.
Q: Leveraging next-gen console hardware, what features has the game achieved in terms of visuals, physics destruction, AI behavior, and on-screen player count that would be difficult to replicate on PC?
A:I can't answer that one—that's a headache for our engineers! (laughs)
Q: Are there plans to launch on PC in the future? Or will this title remain a console-exclusive in the long term?
A:A core trait of the PUBG STUDIOS Madison team is deep console development experience. As a Western studio, many of us have spent most of our careers working on console-first projects. Based on experience, getting the console version right first lays a very solid and stable foundation for a potential future PC release.
We need to proceed steadily and polish the current console versions first. However, I believe everyone on the team would be delighted to see PUBG: DED.NET launch on PC in the future. PC has always been a massive and important player base for the "PUBG" IP, and we're eager to serve this community as well.
Q: What was the biggest challenge faced by the PUBG: DED.NET development team in maintaining the shooting feel of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS?
A:I think the aspect the team spent the most effort balancing was the fine line—where to make players feel like it's PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and where to differentiate. It must be both fresh and familiar; if it's too similar or too different, it wouldn't make sense as part of the "PUBG" universe.
We're very satisfied with the current state—the shooting feel is different, and the movement is different, but we've captured that chaotic, off-the-rails player storytelling that only PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS can provide.
We're not a sequel to PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, but rather its genetically mutated cousin!
Q: As a multiplayer FPS with Roguelite attributes, what are the plans for long-term operation and content updates? At what pace will new characters, maps, and mechanics be introduced in the future?
A:This is something the team has deeply considered. We believe Roguelite elements are naturally suited for frequent meta updates and adjustments, offering a great opportunity to keep the game fresh for players.
We'll discuss the specific details another time!
Q: For players encountering PUBG: DED.NET for the first time at Gamescom, what core highlights do you most hope they notice and experience?
A:I hope they leave feeling amused and intrigued—as long as we can evoke strong emotional reactions, I'll be happy.