PUBG: DED.NET Dev Calls Mass-Market Safe Design 'Box Office Poison'
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Krafton's Dave Curd argues that designing safe games for the mass market is box office poison, pointing to the polarizing, risk-taking design of PUBG: DED.NET as the future of fandom-driven shooters.
Krafton is taking a major creative risk with PUBG: DED.NET, a console-first multiplayer shooter that trades traditional battle royale tension for a 1990s Grunge House aesthetic and persistent roguelite progression. In an interview with IGN at gamescom, creative director Dave Curd argued that designing games to appeal broadly to everyone without offending anyone has become box office poison. Instead of aiming for mass-market safety, the team wants to court passionate fandoms and court polarizing reactions, actively embracing the idea that apathy is the ultimate death sentence for any modern title.
This design philosophy mirrors the famous stance taken by Arrowhead Game Studios with Helldivers 2, where unapologetic mechanics like mandatory friendly fire help a game stand out in a crowded market. DED.NET leans heavily into this divisive identity by offering shorter 25 to 30 minute matches, character rosters with deep in-world relationships, and bizarre mechanics like permanent injuries and tactical upgrades that persist across multiple runs. Curd noted that early playtests already showed players forming deep attachments to the world, proving that taking bold, distinct creative swings resonates much more strongly with modern players than middle-of-the-road safety.
The project originated from a challenge to expand the core appeal of PUBG to a different audience without simply rebuilding the same tactical battle royale experience. By shifting the formula into a multi-match journey complete with dark humor, body horror inspirations, and a ticking career clock where accumulated injuries eventually force a character to retire, the team is building an entirely fresh playground for shooters. Players eager to test out the carnage can sign up for upcoming closed beta playtests ahead of its eventual release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.
Tags: PUBG, Shooter, PC Gaming, Console Gaming, Gaming News
Original article: IGN South Africa