5 ways PUBG can stay relevant in 2026

PUBG Battlegrounds is among the most profitable battle-royale video games in historical past, however gamers can’t assist however really feel that developer Krafton/PUBG Studios is lacking the boat in conserving the battle-royale sport related.

Launched in 2017 as an early entry PC sport for Home windows, PUBG Battlegrounds shortly turned a smash hit, letting gamers fly all the way down to an island to compete in opposition to 99 others to take the crown. The sport quickly reached a peak of three,236,027 gamers in January 2018, earlier than Epic Video games’ Fortnite overtook PUBG, due to its collabs, storyline, and transition right into a platform for creators and others.

Now that 2026 is right here, Krafton/PUBG Studios must hone in on what units PUBG other than different battle-royale video games, as a way to keep related for this 12 months and past. With this in thoughts, we’re itemizing 5 methods the staff can try this.

In international locations like Korea and the UK, PUBG nonetheless has an enormous participant base, particularly on cellular units. Gamers benefit from the realism that the sport presents, in addition to its esports scene that also attracts in big viewerships, such because the PUBG International Championship match.

However there’s nonetheless heaps to be completed to maintain PUBG related in 2026. Gamers nonetheless justifiably complain about the identical points, like dishonest. Bots nonetheless flood matches with virtually 100% accuracy in eliminating actual gamers, in addition to an over-reliance on pop music-themed occasions to fulfill a particular market, however alienating others. Affirmation that it makes use of AI for some in-game content material hasn’t helped its fame both.

This lack of focus has led to PUBG shortly shedding its participant base, in addition to its respect within the battle royale style and esports scene. It’s extra essential than ever that Krafton/PUBG Studios pause and concentrate on enhancing a number of features of the sport.

Granted, maps in PUBG will be enjoyable and diverse, however they don’t attain the improvements that Epic Video games has with Fortnite. For instance, in 2025, gamers noticed the entire map be reworked into Springfield from The Simpsons for one month. Not solely did it attract viewers, however it compelled current gamers to rethink their methods on this new atmosphere.

Not solely ought to there be limited-time occasions that remodel the map, however let’s see harmful environments like bridges collapsing, or big climate modifications that affect the map. These options would add to PUBG’s sensible, grownup method, as a substitute of collaborating with pop stars and others who don’t add a lot to the sport.

With Epic Video games firmly inserting Fortnite as a platform, PUBG has been gradual to the altering tides of what gamers need from battle-royale video games. It might be nice to have the flexibility to set customized guidelines for non-ranked matches that additionally don’t rely in the direction of the primary sport. Even customized match modes and methods of monetising may very well be enticing methods to lure current creators to PUBG to see how they’ll put their very own spin on the sport, and will deliver some much-needed relevance to the title.

Sadly, respect and relevance for PUBG and Krafton/PUBG Studios declined in 2025 as a result of it made hardly any headway in addressing the dishonest points. Granted, it claims that a lot has been completed, however it nonetheless appears like there haven’t been any modifications. There’s probability that you would be able to log in to a match proper now and be greeted with overpowered gamers and weapons that throw balancing out of the proverbial window.

If there’s one factor Krafton/PUBG Studios must take motion on, it’s this. Dishonest in a battle-royale sport not solely sucks the enjoyable out for brand new and current gamers, however it additionally gives the look that the staff doesn’t care about PUBG. At this level, it’s an important job that must be solved, now.

Though there may be some physics in PUBG, equivalent to in weapons like Grenades and automobiles, gamers’ characters are nonetheless stiff, trying the identical as everybody else once they die in a match. When Chapter 7, Season 1, debuted in Fortnite on December 1, physics got here to each avatar in Fortnite, leading to some humorous moments that went viral on social media.

In PUBG, incorporating physics virtually in all places would make the sport contemporary and doubtlessly viral amongst its youthful gamers on TikTok and Instagram. Seeing partitions crumble, gamers fall with their arms flapping about, and way more, might assist differentiate PUBG from Fortnite by reinforcing the realism it presents.

We’re now on the one-year level of the Nintendo Change 2 being confirmed, in addition to approaching seven months since its launch, and PUBG isn’t on the console. This appears like a giant swing and a miss from Krafton/PUBG Studios. Fortnite was obtainable on launch day as a Change 2 title, full with enhancements that took benefit of the {hardware}.

This can be a sure-fire method to be way more related in 2026. The Change 2 is already a monster success, promoting 10 million by the top of 2025. Increasing PUBG to Nintendo’s latest platform can be an effective way to draw new gamers. Maybe add in some unique cosmetics for Change 2 gamers, and PUBG might discover some relevance.

This 12 months appears like crunch time for PUBG. With Krafton/PUBG Studios seemingly specializing in the fallacious issues, like Korean-based pop occasions and never doing sufficient to eradicate the cheaters, extra gamers are flocking to Fortnite and different battle-royale video games to scratch the itch that PUBG is now failing to do.

From higher anti-cheat strategies to bringing the sport to Change 2, there are some simple performs that the staff can do to assist PUBG carve its personal area of interest within the style once more. If it listens to its gamers and focuses on enhancements that matter, the sport might lastly hold and construct upon its relevance in 2026, rewarding current gamers with its endurance and loyalty to PUBG.