PUBG Dednet is a new multiplayer FPS set in the PUBG universe, but it is taking the series in a far stranger direction. Revealed during Gamescom 2026’s Opening Night Live, the game combines fast combat, persistent progression and deliberately outrageous character abilities.
The announcement trailer, set to Ministry’s “Jesus Built My Hotrod”, showed a wild mix of imagery: a woman’s face being blown apart before she could answer a ringing phone, a truck nearly hitting a player carrying a light machine gun, players sliding down a grassy slope and a character replacing their arms with machete blades.
That spectacle left the game’s exact format unclear. It is not simply another battle royale, arena shooter or conventional extraction shooter. Dave Curd, the game’s creative director and a PUBG Studios veteran of more than nine years, described it as a multiplayer FPS roguelite built around repeated matches and long-term character development.
A multiplayer FPS built around repeated runs
In Dednet, a “run” is a journey spanning multiple matches. Between games, players collect unusual abilities and manage injuries while shaping a build designed to turn their character into the ultimate killer.
The structure is intended to add both speed and continuity to the PUBG formula. Curd said the game increases the pace of animation, gunplay, movement, traversal and encounters while reducing periods of inactivity. At the same time, progression continues whether a player wins or loses.
That persistence is the key difference from the classic PUBG experience. A bad match does not necessarily end the session; every game moves the player’s character forwards. The team believes this can sit alongside PUBG’s slower, more deliberate and tactical style rather than replace it.
For players who want relaxed tactical decision-making, the established battle royale remains the natural fit. Dednet is instead aimed at social sessions full of unpredictable combinations, quick action and chaotic moments.
Abilities designed for absurd combinations
Dednet’s abilities are intentionally excessive. Curd gave examples including transforming into a small baby doll with a drill arm and hiding inside a locker, or cutting off a character’s arms and replacing them with machete blades.
In early testing, one particularly effective combination paired machete arms with the ability to move through grass and an ability called “peekaboo”. Peekaboo reveals enemy outlines through walls, while also allowing those enemies to see the user through walls, preventing the power from becoming completely one-sided.
The result is a build that lets players slide around the ground with blades, creating the kind of ridiculous but effective strategy the developers want to encourage. The team has reportedly seen that combination appear frequently in early playtests.
Choose how each match begins
Match openings are also part of Dednet’s unpredictable tone. The developers call the system “wake 100”, reflecting a long-term goal of creating 100 different ways for players to wake up at the start of a match.
Only about five scenarios currently exist, but the revealed ideas include waking inside a body bag, being dropped from a helicopter and starting inside a box at the bottom of a lake.
These openings are described as a “tactical infil” rather than random introductions. Players can select their starting location until the match begins, and they can see where other players are choosing to deploy.
That information allows players to deliberately choose a crowded hot drop or select a quieter area for looting. The decision should make the opening minutes more strategic, even when the presentation itself is deliberately bizarre.
Story, characters and the wider PUBG universe
Dednet is not the only PUBG universe project in development. Black Budget is an FPS with a more traditional extraction-shooter focus and has already held public playtests. Blindspot, a tactical shooter, entered Steam Early Access in February 2026 before shutting down less than two months later.
Unlike those projects, Dednet places a stronger emphasis on character-driven storytelling. The colourful figures shown in the trailer are individual characters rather than simple cosmetic skins. Players can mix and match their abilities, but the game is not being presented as a hero shooter.
Each character has personal quests and relationships with the others, including alliances and rivalries. Curd said the cast draws on grindhouse cinema, the films of Quentin Tarantino and Italian zombie horror, resulting in a cohesive story populated by larger-than-life personalities.
For more coverage of unusual multiplayer concepts and arcade-industry developments, browse RETROCADE’s arcade blog or watch the latest arcade videos. Players planning a dedicated setup can also compare options in the arcade machine buying guide.
Public playtests are planned
Dednet has been in development for more than two years. The team is now preparing to expand its testing and gather feedback through larger public playtests.
No release date or final gameplay details were provided. Players who want updates can register through the official PUBG Dednet site.
Leave a Reply