Look, let's be honest: Krafton and Naver have just inked a strategic partnership to expand the ecosystem of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. By linking their esports efforts with the streaming platform Chzzk, they are aiming for a long-term collaboration that spans intellectual property, platform infrastructure, and community engagement.

The goal here is simple: Krafton wants more eyes on their esports scene. By leveraging Chzzk’s streaming tech and streamer community, they hope to widen their reach and create a neat little loop where players become esports fans, and fans inevitably return to the game itself. They’ve essentially agreed on exclusive content previews, platform-wide branding, and dedicated esports promotion within the Chzzk ecosystem.

This tag-team effort kicks off with the global tournament, PUBG Nations Cup 2026 in Seoul. Expect some exclusive content featuring national players to drop on Chzzk on the 19th, ahead of the main event. Furthermore, they’ll be setting up a physical streaming booth at the venue during the Grand Finals from the 26th to the 28th, accompanied by the usual promotional banners.

Shin Seul-gi, Naver’s Game Content Partnership Leader, claims this deal will 'elevate the user-centric esports viewing experience' by mixing PUBG’s global IP muscle with Chzzk’s community reach. She added that they intend to build a 'distinctive ecosystem' where streamers, fans, and game IPs all play nicely together.

Park Soo-yong, Head of PUBG Esports at Krafton, noted that they are putting their foot on the gas to boost their content competitiveness through these external platform partnerships. He expects this to broaden their fan base and refine their content offerings significantly. Cheers to that.