Krafton Unveils PUBG Spin-Off 'Ded Net' at Gamescom Opening Night Live
Krafton has unveiled PUBG Ded Net, a multiplayer first-person shooter spin-off set in the fictional world of Cascadia during the 1990s, at gamescom's Opening Night Live on 25 August 2026 (GameSpot).
The reveal took place during the opening showcase of gamescom, the annual games industry event held in Cologne, Germany. Host Geoff Keighley presented the show, which began at 11AM PT / 2PM ET / 8PM CEST and was livestreamed worldwide (GamesRadar, Red Bull).
PUBG Ded Net is described as a multiplayer FPS — a first-person shooter, meaning the player sees the action through the character's eyes — that blends traditional shooter combat with roguelite progression. A roguelite is a game structure where each run is different, and dying carries some consequence or reward that shapes the next attempt. The game's tagline, "death is only the beginning," hints at that loop.
Despite carrying the PUBG name, Ded Net appears to be a departure from what players might expect. PUBG — short for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds — is the battle-royale franchise that helped define the genre in which dozens of players fight until one remains. Ded Net, by contrast, is pitched as a story-driven shooter with roguelite mechanics, not a last-one-standing survival match.
For players who want to get in early, Krafton has opened sign-ups for a closed beta test — a limited, invite-only phase of testing before a wider release. Interested players need to register or sign in on the game's website, ded.net, to participate. A newsletter is also available on the site for those who want updates on the beta's schedule (ded.net).
The game does not yet have a release date. What is confirmed is the setting: a 1990s version of Cascadia, a fictional world whose details remain largely under wraps beyond the showcase trailer.
What makes the reveal worth noting is the breadth of the pivot. Krafton, the South Korean publisher behind the PUBG franchise, is stretching the brand well past its battle-royale roots. Whether that gamble pays off will depend on how the roguelite-shooter combination feels in players' hands — and the closed beta is the first chance the public will get to find out.
