What We Know
PUBG: DED.NET is a multiplayer FPS with roguelite progression across runs, set in Cascadia in the 1990s -- the KRAFTON press release (gamescom ONL Press Room) places the setting in 1996, while the PUBG: DED.NET Steam store page (app 2726580) uses the broader label "1990's." The game is developed by PUBG Studios and published by KRAFTON. The studio's tagline, carried on the Steam page, is "Death is Only the Beginning." A closed beta is open for pre-registration at ded.net; the release date is listed as "To be announced."
What the Developer Has Detailed -- and Who Said It
PUBG Studios' Dave Curd told Inven Global that a single match seats 60 players in 3-player squads, lasts roughly 30 minutes, and moves through five phases that unlock abilities simultaneously across all contestants. The blue zone opens at 2.5x2.5 km on a map slightly over 5x5 km and later wanders -- a structural detail Curd provided directly. ROMs are chips plugged into the head that grant those abilities; Curd offered illustrative examples of what ROMs can do but did not specify the complete roster, exact counts, or the precise mechanics of how ROMs are found or slotted per phase. A full run spans an average Curd described two ways in the same interview: "6 to 10" matches and "8 to 12" matches, a range he noted varies depending on wins, losses, injuries, and skill. On monetization, Curd told Inven Global that the expectation is cosmetics-only with no pay-to-win; the actual price, editions, and store model have not been stated. On platforms, Curd told Inven Global the game is targeting PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a console-first rollout planned.
What Remains Unspecified
Several material gaps are worth naming plainly, because the sources do not fill them:
- Release date and beta date. Both are TBA. The closed beta is described as coming following the gamescom reveal; no specific date is given.
- The full world. Five locations exist on ded.net. Of those, Cryptid Cove is described and one additional location ("Inside the City") is named in the available material; the remaining three are represented by images only -- names and descriptions are not captured in any primary source reviewed here.
- The complete ROM roster. The Inven Global interview contains examples, not a full list. Exact effects, total count, and per-phase slotting rules are not specified.
- Run length as a fixed number. The developer gave a range -- twice -- and flagged that it varies. There is no single confirmed match count per run.
- Solo mode. Curd told Inven Global it has been tested internally and is "considered if demand and player base support it." It is not confirmed.
- Price and editions. Not announced in any primary source reviewed here.
The honest read on this announcement is straightforward: the core loop structure and session scale are detailed; ability systems and world scope are outlined with examples; and the commercial and scheduling specifics have not yet been shared.
PUBG: DED.NET was revealed by PUBG Studios (KRAFTON) at gamescom Opening Night Live, with the release date still to be announced. A closed beta is coming.