Krafton has quietly taken the next big step in its extraction shooter plans. PUBG Black Budget now has a live Steam page, and it gives users their first confirmed look at the project that was teased in financial reports and interviews for months. The game is not fully revealed yet, but the new information shows how Krafton wants to shape its next multiplayer experience.
The Steam page also confirms that public alpha playtests will happen in December, and they will not be under NDA. This means the community will finally be able to see raw, unfiltered gameplay within weeks.
PUBG Black Budget is described as an extraction shooter set on Coli, a 2.5×2.5 km open-world island stuck in a time loop. A strange phenomenon called the Anomaly covers the land and slowly shrinks the playable area. It is a supernatural idea that feels very different from the grounded battle royale roots of PUBG.
The game mixes PvPvE combat, exploration, and discovery. According to the description, the goal is not just survival. Players will hunt for secret technology, complete missions for rival factions, and try to uncover the truth behind something called the SAPIENS initiative.
The tone is more mysterious and experimental than what you expect from a typical extraction shooter. And that might be the edge Krafton is hoping for.
One of the most interesting parts of the Steam listing is Krafton’s focus on exploration first, combat second. This suggests the game may be more approachable than hardcore extraction shooters like Escape From Tarkov.
Players can craft items, upgrade skills, and build a personal base between matches. If this space is interactive and customizable, it could become one of the game’s biggest draws. It is an area where several other extraction shooters still feel limited.
Matches will support:
- Up to 45 players
- Squads of 3
- Sessions lasting around 30 minutes
- A mix of real players and AI enemies
- Missions from three different factions, each offering unique rewards
It is shaping up to be a hybrid between a tactical shooter, a looter-extraction game, and a sci-fi mystery adventure.
Krafton is planning two alpha playtests next month, and they will be open for streaming, screenshots, and full gameplay captures — a bold move for an early build.
Testing timelines:
- December 12–14
- December 19–21
The playtests will happen exclusively on Steam. Anyone interested can sign up through the game’s Steam page.
Both weekends overlap with Bungie’s next Marathon playtest, which sets up an interesting face-off between two high-profile extraction projects.
With this new game, Krafton wants to expand the PUBG world beyond battle royale. And instead of playing it safe, the studio is experimenting with time loops, supernatural elements, and exploration-heavy gameplay. It is too early to predict how the final game will look, but the direction feels refreshing. With the PUBG name behind it and a more flexible extraction experience, Black Budget might attract both PUBG fans and players who found other extraction shooters too punishing.
The upcoming alpha will tell us a lot more. For now, PUBG Black Budget is shaping up to be one of the most interesting new shooters to watch.
