Krafton launches pre-registrations for PUBG: New State

South Korean gaming firm Krafton has opened pre-registrations for PUBG: New State, the latest free-to-play battle royale title from the company. 

Set in 2051, New State would build on the experience of PUBG Mobile or Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) with a futuristic touch. There will be new maps, weapons, and vehicles, making up what Krafton says would be the most realistic battle royale game on mobile. 

“Knowing that PUBG IP from Krafton is enjoying countrywide popularity in India and our Indian fans have high interest in the launch of PUBG: New State in India, we at PUBG STUDIOS are doing our best to offer a battle royale experience only we can deliver based on the stable service for our Indian fans,” Minkyu Park, the executive producer of PUBG: New State, said in a statement. 

The gaming firm announced the development of the title in February 2021 and saw over 32 million pre-registrations from different parts of the world, except China, India, and Vietnam. Now, India, where PUBG and its remake BGMI have been so popular, has joined the list. However, given the turbulent history of the PUBG IP in India, it remains to be seen how the Indian government reacts to the development.  

PUBG Mobile, which was published by China’s Tencent, was banned by India last year over security concerns. Meanwhile, BGMI – which marked the company’s return in the market a few months ago – has been able to survive. The game has so far recorded over 50 million downloads and is also now available on iOS. 

For PUBG: New State, Krafton has not given any launch date, although the company has confirmed that the new title would be available this year on both iOS and Android devices. 

Krafton has also been investing heavily in the gaming ecosystem of India. So far, it has invested a total of $70 million to back Indian esports company NODWIN Gaming, game streaming platform Loco, and web novel platform Pratilipi.