The PUBG Nations Cup 2025 broke the franchise’s all-time viewership record with 818,000 peak viewers as Vietnam claimed the title. Krafton now plans a Fortnite-style evolution for PUBG, focusing on user-generated content and broader platform ambitions.
PUBG Nations Cup hits record viewership as Vietnam triumphs
The PUBG Nations Cup 2025 has rewritten the history books for PUBG: Battlegrounds esports, drawing 818,020 peak concurrent viewers during the July 23–27 tournament in Seoul, South Korea — the highest ever for the title.
The figure eclipses the previous record of 757,875 set by the PUBG Global Invitational in 2018 and marks a 60% increase over last year’s Nations Cup.
Vietnam claimed the championship in front of a roaring international audience, with Southeast Asian fans driving unprecedented numbers. Vietnamese viewers alone contributed 504,251 peak viewers, while Korean fans added 146,508 — both national records.
YouTube Live and NimoTV also set new highs for PUBG broadcasts with 446,438 and 139,663 peak viewers respectively. Overall, the tournament amassed over 6.1 million hours watched and averaged 273,128 viewers, up 35% year-over-year.
The Nations Cup’s surge in popularity comes amid Krafton’s record financial performance in 2025, reporting KRW 1.54 trillion (USD 1.18 billion) revenue in the first half of the year.
Beyond strong PC and mobile engagement, Krafton has teased a major shift for PUBG — transforming it from a pure battle royale into a “gameplay platform” modeled after Fortnite and Roblox.
The company aims to introduce user-generated content tools, cross-mode experiences, and expanded monetization opportunities, a move designed to extend PUBG’s lifecycle and broaden its appeal.
While Krafton accelerates this Fortnite-inspired pivot, the Nations Cup’s success demonstrates PUBG’s competitive scene is still thriving.
With a prize pool approaching $1 million and new nations like France and the Philippines debuting, the 2025 edition showcased PUBG’s growing global reach, with the leading esports betting sites also showing markets for the event.
Whether future Nations Cups can replicate this record-setting viewership — or surpass it — may depend on how well Krafton balances its evolving platform ambitions with the core battle royale that fueled this milestone moment.
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