PUBG: New State is a futuristic new battle royale game for Android and iOS

The PUBG universe is expanding with a new mobile title for iOS and Android called PUBG: New State, which catapults the battle royale ahead in time for a more futuristic take on the massive multiplayer genre.

Set in 2051, PUBG: New State takes place years after the current PUBG games (which are set in approximately modern times) on a new map called Troi and promises to bring with it a slew of near-future weapons and vehicles, like drones and deployable combat shields. Based on the early images, it’s a similar vibe to fellow shooter Call of Duty’s semi-futuristic military tech from games like Black Ops 3 and 4.

The new game is also set to dive deeper into the lore of the overall PUBG universe, which is apparently a thing that surprisingly exists for a game whose most notable cultural signifier is the use of a cast-iron skillet as a weapon. What the time jump will mean for beloved PUBG characters like Lunchmeat, though, will have to wait for the game’s release.

New State also promises to shake up the formula for PUBG games, with in-game weapon customization options that will allow players to modify their weapons within a match in a way that sounds similar to Apex Legends’ weapon attachments.

New State marks the third battle royale game under the PUBG umbrella — although, unlike its mobile cousin PUBG Mobile, PUBG: New State will be developed by PUBG Studio, the company behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the PC and console version of the original game. (PUBG Mobile is actually a separate title developed by Chinese tech giant Tencent.) And despite the mobile nature of the title, PUBG Studio is making big promises of “ultra-realistic graphics that push the limits of mobile gaming.”

PUBG: New State will be available on Android and iOS later in 2021, with alpha tests also set for later this year.