Krafton has apologized for fairness controversies raised during Day 1 of 'PUBG Asia Stars 2026' and announced follow-up measures, including roster adjustments and broadcast delays for matches.
On September 19, Kakao PUBG posted an announcement received from Krafton titled "Notice on PUBG Asia Stars Operations and Follow-up Measures." Krafton stated in the notice, "We sincerely apologize for causing concern over fairness and inconvenience during the operation of Day 1 matches."
The company added that after the conclusion of the matches, it reviewed various concerns raised by players and fans, explaining, "We take heavily the fact that we failed to instill sufficient trust in the tournament's operation and raised doubts regarding fairness." Krafton noted that the issues should have been thoroughly checked and prepared for in advance by tournament operators, acknowledging that they stemmed from operational shortcomings. To prevent similar concerns from recurring, Krafton decided to apply the following additional measures starting from Day 2:
- Roster adjustments for 2 players in select regions
- Broadcast delay applied to key matches
- Re-issuance of operational guidelines to participants
- Enhanced match monitoring
However, the announcement did not reveal the specific matches, regions, or names of the players subject to the roster adjustments. It also omitted details on the specific actions that prompted the fairness concerns and whether any rule violations were confirmed during the investigation.
Krafton also did not specify the exact duration of the broadcast delay for key matches or which events it would apply to. Consequently, it is difficult to conclude based solely on this announcement that cheating or rule violations by specific players have been officially confirmed.
PUBG Asia Stars is a regional competition featuring six regions across Asia: Korea, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each region formed a team of eight players comprising pro players, PUBG Partners, and streamers.
The tournament takes place over three days on September 17, 19, and 20. Final standings are determined by cumulative points across a total of nine modes, including eight modes utilizing PUBG: Playgrounds and an 8-player squad Platoon Battle Royale.
Krafton stated that it will reinforce operational standards and inspection procedures for the remaining matches so that viewers can watch the tournament without concerns over fairness.
