PUBG: Black Budget is cashing in on the Arc Raiders and Escape from Tarkov extraction shooter hype, this time with a battle royale-style shrinking map

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PUBG: Black Budget is cashing in on the Arc Raiders and Escape from Tarkov extraction shooter hype, this time with a battle royale-style shrinking map News By Kaan Serin published 21 November 2025

Krafton's holding a Closed Alpha playtest next month

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(Image credit: Krafton)

Between Escape from Tarkov's steady popularity, Arc Raiders' explosive hype, and Bungie's upcoming reboot of Marathon, it seems like extraction shooters are all the rage right now. And, not one to miss out on a trend, Krafton's striking while the iron's hot and is soon holding a closed playtest for its own extraction shooter spinoff, called PUBG: Black Budget, next month.

Krafton quietly lifted the lid off PUBG: Black Budget earlier today. It's essentially a PvPvE extraction shooter that sees squads dropping down on an island trapped in a time loop, all while a supernatural anomaly gets in the way of your mission to loot top-secret research.

There's one big open-world map with around 45 players per session, 30-minute matches, weapon customization, three rival factions, and first-person gunplay. The very PUBG-ish twist here is that the map will slowly shrink as it does in a typical battle royale. Blame the island-wide anomaly for that one.

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PUBG: Black Budget's Closed Alpha playtests are due to take place across two weekends next month, on December 12-14 and December 19-21, for PC players in North America, Europe, and Asia. You can put your name in the hat over on Steam. Otherwise, the playtests will be available to publicly stream, so you can always watch a couple of matches if you don't gain access.

"In between missions, you'll expand your personal Base, craft new equipment, and improve your character's skills and proficiencies," the Steam page explains. "Prepare to face PvPvE threats in an environment that grows more unpredictable with every loop – and the longer you stay, the harder it is to make it out alive."

Former Bungie director spent their time on Marathon "dying to create a new genre name" because an extraction shooter is "the only genre where its name is a mechanic"

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Kaan SerinFreelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.

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