PUBG: Black Budget, an extraction shooter spin-off that had undergone Closed Alpha Tests, gets canceled. This is the second PUBG spin-off to close this year.
PUBG: Black Budget Shut Down After Undergoing Closed Alpha Testing
An Extraction Shooter Spin-Off That Won't Move Forward
PUBG Studios and Krafton have officially ended development on PUBG: Black Budget, just a few months after its 2nd Closed Alpha Test. In a post on the game's official Steam page, the studio relayed that after "reviewing the project's development status and future direction", the team decided it wouldn't be able to "deliver an experience players could enjoy long-term."
The developers thanked everyone who took part in the test and noted that the lessons from working on this title will be taken into account in future projects as they continue exploring new gameplay ideas. No specific reasons were given apart from the brief statement, leaving the public with vague details.
Not the Only One to Get Axed This Year
Black Budget's cancellation follows a similar fate for PUBG: Blindspot, a 5v5 top-down tactical shooter that shut down in less than two months after its Early Access launch earlier this year as it failed to sustain a stable player base.
With Black Budget now also gone, their recent spin-off efforts continue a rocky track record. For now, Krafton continues investing elsewhere, with their other newly announced game, PUBG: DED.NET, alongside their ongoing project, Palworld Mobile, with Pocketpair.
The community has mostly voiced frustration and skepticism regarding its closure. Fans suspect other titles may have caused the team to redirect their resources. Others have speculated the cancellation might also be due to not being able to keep up with other extraction shooters that have traction, like ARC Raiders and Marathon.
Many players also expressed disappointment at losing a game that was enjoyable during testing. Several commenters asked if the team could reconsider and resume development, citing their positive hands-on impressions from the alpha tests. At this time, Krafton has yet to release any further statement on this or whether they’ll ever consider a return to Black Budget.
Source:
PUBG: Black Budget Development Update
