Source: KRAFTON

KRAFTON announced on the 1st that the PUBG Nations Cup (PNC) 2026 in Seoul, an international esports tournament for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, concluded on the 28th after setting new success records. The tournament, which featured 24 national teams, ended with Brazil taking the championship title.

The tournament achieved its highest-ever viewership metrics. The official PUBG esports channels recorded 13.2 million total views, a new record for the event. The Grand Finals were broadcast simultaneously in 16 languages, including Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, and English. Additionally, over 250 global streamers broadcast the matches to viewers worldwide on their own channels. The peak concurrent viewership on the final day reached approximately 810k.

User and spectator engagement was also notable. The official website recorded nearly 1.66 million views, with more than half coming from overseas. Online events supporting national teams drew over 800k entries, while the newly introduced PUBG Fantasy League saw 2.6 million participants. This interactive content, which allows users to build and compete with their own teams, added a new layer of enjoyment to the viewing experience.

Approximately 5k spectators attended the three-day Grand Finals in person. The venue was transformed into a cultural event space blending matches, performances, and audience participation. KRAFTON created a festival-like atmosphere by blurring the lines between fan zones and player areas, filling the intervals between matches with diverse performances and events. On the 26th, the group ALLDAY PROJECT performed during halftime, and global artist Jeon Somi took the stage on the 28th. The event also featured live programs with soccer player Lee Seung-woo and influencer Kim Blue, as well as beatboxing, magic shows, band performances, and street dance.

This year's PNC held its Survival Stage at PUBG Seongsu from the 23rd to the 24th of last month, followed by the Grand Finals at Jangchung Arena in Seoul from the 26th to the 28th. The total prize pool consisted of a base of $500k plus 25% of the revenue from event passes and item sales, which was distributed based on final rankings.

Brazil claimed the top spot with a cumulative score of 124, becoming the first team from the Americas to win the tournament. The Brazilian national team roster included Sparking, tiny7, biel, and jaykraken, with Sparking named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

A KRAFTON representative stated that the tournament served as an opportunity for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS to expand as a cultural content platform amid global acclaim, adding that the company plans to continue broadening the connection between the game and its global user base through esports.