Fans of the extraction shooter genre are certainly spoiled for choice recently with ARC Raiders, Escape from Dukov, and Tarkov coming to Steam in the last month alone. And now, we have just gotten our first glimpse of gameplay footage for the PUBG Corporation’s new extraction shooter, PUBG: Black Budget. The leaked video is from the ongoing PC Closed Alpha phase, giving us an early look at what the game is shaping up to be.
While the quality of the video is apparently a little “nothing-burger” and we don’t have the full lowdown on the specs used by the leaker, the footage does show some promising performance numbers. It appears that the game can hit frame rates of 100 FPS, assuming you have the right PC hardware for the job.
What is PUBG: Black Budget?
Moving away from the traditional Battle Royale setup, PUBG: Black Budget drops players into a much more tense and high-stakes scenario. You take on the role of a Contractor, a veteran soldier hired for a top-secret mission on a remote, mysterious island. Your goal is to recover classified technology from an old research base, but there’s a huge catch: the island is trapped in a time loop, which is caused by a supernatural force known as the Anomaly.
The mission involves collecting powerful artefacts, researching your findings, and slowly uncovering the truth behind the secret initiative known as SAPIENS.
Core Gameplay Loop
The game doesn’t just focus on the action on the island. In between missions, you can manage and upgrade your Base, craft better gear, and improve your character’s skills.
However, the action on the island itself is relentless. You’ll face what’s called PvPvE dangers, which means battling both real players (Player vs Player) and hostile enemy creatures (vs Environment). The intensity ramps up as the island gets more unpredictable every time the loop resets. Put simply: the longer you stay in the match, the tougher it is to escape alive.
Key Features and Gameplay Details
- Map Size: The action takes place on a 2.5 x 2.5 km open-world island.
- Environment: The map features different biomes, points of interest, and hidden underground areas.
- Match Length: Each session lasts for up to 30 minutes, blending exploration, combat, and extraction.
- Player Count: Matches feature up to 45 players per session.
- Matchmaking: Uses level- and squad-based matchmaking for teams of up to three players.
- Dynamic Difficulty: The difficulty increases based on your player level and how long you remain inside the time loop.
Closed Alpha Testing Details
For those interested in getting an early look at the game, Krafton is hosting a Closed Alpha Test this month.
- Test Dates: The Alpha will begin on December 12th and run until December 22nd.
- How to Join: You can request access to the test via the game’s official Steam page.
What We Think
Extraction shooters are all the rage right now, and it’s interesting to see the PUBG team put their spin on the genre. The time loop and Anomaly mechanics add a unique sci-fi layer that could make for some seriously tense, unpredictable gameplay.
While the leaked footage is a bit rough, the promise of 100 FPS performance suggests the game is running smoothly in its Alpha state, which is always a good sign. If they can nail that signature PUBG gunplay and blend it seamlessly with the risk/reward of extraction, Black Budget could be a real contender but its definitely got some tough competition.
Tell Me More
For more information and to request access to the Closed Alpha, head over to the PUBG: Black Budget Steam page.
