On the 17th, KRAFTON will launch 'Ally Duo,' a beta arcade mode for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds that introduces 'PUBG Ally,' a new AI technology.

'Ally Duo' is a two-player arcade mode where users team up with an AI character named 'Ally' to navigate the 'Sanhok' map. Players can engage in real-time voice conversations with Ally, working together through various in-game moments such as looting, moving, and formulating tactics. This is designed to provide a deep sense of immersion and a unique experience, as if playing alongside a real human.

'PUBG Ally,' the foundation for the new character 'Ally,' is a new type of Co-Playable Character (CPC) technology that lives and plays alongside the user. Built on NVIDIA ACE technology and powered by an on-device Small Language Model (SLM), it is precisely engineered to analyze the user's voice and the real-time game environment to act autonomously.

In particular, the integration of Speech-to-Text (STT) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) systems enables seamless communication with the user. Moving beyond traditional NPC methods that rely solely on pre-scripted lines, it analyzes the battlefield situation and user commands simultaneously to generate optimal responses and actions. It moves agilely with minimal delay during combat or movement where quick reactions are required, and acts as a reliable partner by considering conversational context and game dynamics when macro-level strategy is needed.

This test will run for approximately two weeks, from the 17th to July 1st, for users worldwide. The 'Ally Duo' mode fully supports voice in Korean, English, and Chinese. KRAFTON plans to refine its AI technology further by collecting player data and feedback accumulated during this beta service.

Lee Kang-wook, CAIO of KRAFTON, stated, "Through this beta service, we are introducing a new form of gameplay that Ella and the users create together. We will continue to innovate the gaming experience using AI technology based on the diverse feedback from our users."

Kim Sang-kyun, director of the PUBG development division, said, "We expect PUBG Ally to become a tool that content creators can use to stage various situations and have fun. We will continue to introduce diverse modes that offer new types of enjoyment to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds users."

KRAFTON is accelerating its efforts to secure unique gameplay through the integration of artificial intelligence. In April, the company unveiled four versions of 'Raon,' its proprietary multimodal AI model. Moving forward, KRAFTON plans to fine-tune these models to suit the distinct characteristics of each title, creating unprecedented and unique gameplay experiences.