KRAFTON is actively releasing and promoting a diverse portfolio of titles across genres, including the new roguelike Ascend to ZERO, major PUBG MOBILE collaborations, and the extraction shooter PUBG: Black Budget, while its legal dispute with Unknown Worlds Entertainment has been settled.
KRAFTON has entered a period of sustained release activity across multiple studios and genres. In July 2026, its creative studio Flyway Games launched the time-stop roguelike Ascend to ZERO on Steam and Xbox Series X|S, including Xbox Game Pass. The game surpassed 100,000 players within four days and earned 'Very Positive' Steam reviews and an 82 Metacritic score. A Twitch Drops campaign and a 20% launch sale supported the release.
KRAFTON's mobile flagship PUBG MOBILE received two major collaborations in July: a Ferrari partnership adding four drivable models and themed items, and a Naruto Shippuden collaboration in Version 4.5 that recreated anime locations, introduced voice-activated ninjutsu, and offered over USD 600 in free items. The Naruto update included an animated short by Studio Pierrot. On PC, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS launched a limited 'Ally Duo' mode with an AI teammate named Ella, the first public deployment of KRAFTON's PUBG Ally AI technology.
KRAFTON's PUBG STUDIOS held the second closed alpha test of the extraction shooter PUBG: Black Budget in late June, showing a PvPvE game set on Coli Island. The company also announced a five-title lineup for gamescom 2026, including two world premieres: Age Twisters and TARAE: The Unbound. Project ZETA, a multi-team tactical arena game from NIRVANANA Studio, held its first global playtest on Steam in June, with an early access release planned for the second half of 2026. The co-op horror game MIMESIS, which won a CEDEC Award for its AI-driven design, surpassed 2 million units sold after a major update overhauled its monster behavior and game structure.
KRAFTON and Unknown Worlds Entertainment fully settled their legal dispute over a $250 million bonus. Under the settlement, bonuses were paid to all employees, and CEO Ted Gill stepped down amicably. Subnautica 2 has sold over 4 million copies since its early access launch in May 2026.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/krafton.
CC BY 4.0.
KRAFTON announced that Ascend to ZERO, a new action roguelike from its Flyway Games studio, has exceeded 100,000 cumulative global players on Steam and Xbox within four days of its July 13 release. The game has received 'Very Positive' user reviews on Steam and an 82 Metacritic score. A 20% launch sale on Steam runs through July 28.
KRAFTON has announced the lineup for its gamescom 2026 booth, featuring five playable titles including an unannounced PUBG STUDIOS project, 'NO LAW', 'Project ZETA', 'Age Twisters', and 'TARAE: The Unbound'. Two of the titles, 'Age Twisters' and 'TARAE: The Unbound', will be shown to the public for the first time. The booth will also host stage events, participatory missions, and exclusive goods giveaways.
KRAFTON and its creative studio Flyway Games released Ascend to ZERO on July 13 for Xbox Series X|S. The roguelite action game gives players 30 seconds per run and the ability to stop time at will. While time is frozen, enemies and the countdown pause, but the player cannot attack or open items. A cooldown prevents consecutive time stops. The game features permanent upgrades, rescued allies, and unlockable avatars. A play report highlights the tension between stillness and motion.
KRAFTON's creative studio Flyway Games has released its action roguelike Ascend to ZERO on Steam and Xbox platforms, including Xbox Game Pass. The game uses a time-stopping combat mechanic. A Twitch Drops event runs from July 14 to July 26, offering in-game rewards. The base game is priced at 1,600 yen.
KRAFTON JAPAN announced a partnership between PUBG MOBILE and Ferrari, starting July 10. The collaboration brings four Ferrari models-Roma, Purosangue, LaFerrari, and SF90 XX Spider-into the mobile battle royale as drivable vehicles with exclusive liveries. It also includes Ferrari-themed accessories, customization options, and an in-map display of the Scuderia Ferrari HP Formula 1 car. The event runs through September 7.
Cooperative horror game MIMESIS has sold over 2 million units worldwide since its early access release last October. The game also won the Excellence Award in the Game Design Division at the CEDEC Awards 2026, recognized for its innovative use of AI that mimics players' voices and actions. The first major update last month boosted player numbers and sales.
KRAFTON released 'Ascend to Zero' on July 13, developed by Flyway Games. The time-stopping roguelike action game is available on PC (Steam/Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X|S, with Xbox/PC Game Pass support. Players fight a mechanical army using a time stop ability, with a 30-second mission time limit that can be extended by defeating bosses. A launch sale on Steam offers 20% off until July 28, and a Twitch Drops campaign runs from July 14 to 26.
KRAFTON's PUBG STUDIOS held the second closed alpha test of PUBG: Black Budget from June 26 to 29, 2026. The extraction shooter is set on Coli Island, a 2.5km x 2.5km map with anomalous creatures and a hardcore sci-fi atmosphere. Unlike PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, players prepare equipment before raids, and the game features PvPvE combat, zone shrinkage, and a reload system requiring loaded magazines. The alpha test offered a glimpse of a grounded, dark world compared to Crysis.
KRAFTON released Version 4.5 of PUBG MOBILE on July 9, 2026, adding a collaboration with Naruto Shippuden. The update recreates locations from the anime, including the Hidden Leaf Village, Hokage Rock, and the Valley of the End, on the Erangel, Livik, and Sanhok maps. Players can use ninjutsu such as Rasengan, Chidori, Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, and Flying Thunder God Technique, which unlock gradually from July 9 to July 14. A boss battle against the Nine-Tailed Fox (Kurama) is available, with Kurama appearing in three states: slumbering, prowling, or alert. Starting July 17, a special mode lets squads defend the Hidden Leaf from a controlled Kurama. Collaboration costumes include sets for Naruto (Sage Mode and Six Paths Sage Mode), Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Hinata, Gaara, Tsunade, Madara, and Jiraiya, plus Akatsuki and Konoha Anbu sets. A giveaway offers over USD 600 in free items, including the Young Naruto set, Fourth Hokage's Cloak, and the song 'Blue Bird'. An animated short by Studio Pierrot accompanies the update. Offline events are planned in multiple countries, including a celebration in Jakarta from July 10 to 16.
Krafton and Unknown Worlds Entertainment have fully settled their legal dispute over a $250 million bonus. Under the settlement, bonuses will be paid to all employees, and CEO Ted Gill will step down amicably. The game has sold over 4 million copies since its early access launch in May 2026.
KRAFTON will exhibit five titles at gamescom 2026, including an unreleased PUBG STUDIOS project, 'NO LAW', 'Project ZETA', 'Age Twisters', and 'TARAE: The Unbound'. The event runs August 26-30 in Cologne, Germany.
KRAFTON JAPAN has launched the "KRAFTON Steam Publisher Sale 2026" on Steam, running from June 18 to June 26, 2026. The eight-day sale offers special prices on over 30 titles from KRAFTON, its creative studios, and partner studios. Featured games include the survival life simulation game "Dinkum," the rhythm action title "Hi-Fi RUSH," the pet-raising game "My Little Puppy," the sci-fi action game "MIMESIS," and the action RPG "Last Epoch." The maximum discount reaches 85% off on "The Callisto Protocol." During the sale, a separate promotion for "PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS" gives players double G-Coin when they purchase the in-game currency. The event page also highlights upcoming titles, including the new game "Age Twisters" and a public test for the in-development "PUBG: Black Budget." Some titles may not be available depending on language settings, and discount periods for certain games may end on June 25.
KRAFTON released a new limited-time mode, 'Ally Duo', for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on PC, where players team up with an AI teammate named Ella. The mode is available from June 17 to July 1, 16:00 JST, requires an NVIDIA GPU, and supports Korean, Simplified Chinese, and English voice chat with Ella only.
KRAFTON JAPAN released a major update for the co-op horror game Mimesis on June 16, 2026. The update improves the AI-driven monster's decision-making, adds individual monster personalities, revises the game's progression from fixed 3-day cycles to a flexible structure, expands dungeon interiors, and revamps the spectator system to let eliminated players possess monsters.
KRAFTON announced the first global community test for its new online multiplayer action game Project ZETA, running June 25-28 on Steam. The test is open to players in Asia, North America, and Europe. Project ZETA is a multi-team tactical arena game where four teams of three compete simultaneously to capture an object called the Prism. The developer, NIRVANANA Studio, plans an early access release in the second half of 2026 after incorporating player feedback.