Supports Korean, Chinese, and English; global beta runs from June 17 to July 1
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – June 16, 2026 – On June 17, KRAFTON, Inc. will launch the Ally Duo beta, a new Arcade mode for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS powered by PUBG Ally.
Ally Duo is a new Arcade mode in which players form a two-player team with the AI character, Ella, and play on the Sanhok map. Players can communicate with Ella via voice interaction to collaborate across a range of in-game situations, including movement, item collection, and strategy. This mode allows players to team up with an AI companion, creating a uniquely immersive, cooperative gameplay experience.
Ella is the companion character built on PUBG Ally, KRAFTON’s AI technology. PUBG Ally is a new type of CPC (Co-Playable Character) designed to play alongside human players. Powered by an on-device small language model built on NVIDIA ACE, it is designed to understand players’ voice commands and in-game situations to respond proactively.
PUBG Ally uses speech-to-text (STT) and text-to-speech (TTS) technologies to interact with players in real time. Unlike traditional NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) that react based on fixed conditions, PUBG Ally simultaneously processes players’ voice commands and evolving in-game situations to generate appropriate actions and responses. For actions that require split-second responses, such as movement and item collection, PUBG Ally is designed to react with minimal latency. For situations requiring contextual understanding, such as developing strategy, PUBG Ally synthesizes in-game context and conversational flow to make decisions, delivering a cooperative experience that feels more natural and responsive.
“Ally Duo is an early step toward exploring how AI companions can create new ways to play,” said Kangwook Lee, Chief AI Officer at KRAFTON. “We're excited to hear from players during the beta and continue improving the experience based on their feedback.”
The beta service will run globally for two weeks, from June 17 to July 1. Ally Duo supports voice interaction in Korean, Chinese, and English. KRAFTON plans to continue refining the technology based on diverse player experiences and feedback gathered during the beta period.
Head of PUBG Development SangKyun Kim said, “We believe PUBG Ally can open up new opportunities for creators by enabling different types of gameplay, interactions and storytelling moments,” said SangKyun Kim, Head of PUBG Development. “We will continue to introduce a variety of new modes that deliver new joy to PUBG players.”
KRAFTON remains focused on delivering differentiated gameplay experiences using AI. In April, the company unveiled four multimodal AI models under the Raon brand family. Going forward, KRAFTON plans to fine-tune the Raon models for individual games, using them to create new gameplay experiences.
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About KRAFTON, Inc.
Headquartered in Korea, KRAFTON, Inc. is a global game developer and publisher dedicated to pioneering unforgettable worlds for players everywhere. Founded in 2007, KRAFTON brings together a diverse portfolio of studios including PUBG STUDIOS, Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, Neon Giant, KRAFTON Montréal Studio, Bluehole Studio, RisingWings, 5minlab, Dreamotion, ReLU Games, Flyway Games, Tango Gameworks, inZOI Studio, JOFSOFT, Eleventh Hour Games, OmniCraft Labs, Olivetree Games, Loonshot Games, and 9B STUDIO. Each is united by a commitment to bold imagination and breakthrough game-making.
KRAFTON's franchises and titles include PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG MOBILE, inZOI, Subnautica, MIMESIS, Hi-Fi Rush, Dinkum, TERA, My Little Puppy, and more. Guided by its vision to pioneer the path to players' dreams, KRAFTON is focused on building franchises that last and delivering experiences that resonate with players around the world.
For more information, visit www.KRAFTON.com.