Vietnam gaming community turns against unlicensed PUBG PC

PUBG PC is facing mounting pressure in Vietnam as internet cafes remove the game, eSports clubs boycott related activities and authorities consider blocking its unlicensed distribution.

The developments come amid controversy over Krafton’s handling of two Vietnamese professional players at the PUBG Asia Stars tournament in South Korea, adding to existing concerns over PUBG PC being distributed in Vietnam without a license through platforms including Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation and Xbox.

On September 23, Krafton permanently banned Vietnamese players Himass and TanVuu from official PUBG PC competitions following an incident at PUBG Asia Stars, which began on August 19.

The sanctions included permanent account bans and barred the two players from competing in all regions and in tournaments including PGC, PGS and PNC, as well as other official eSports competitions organised or approved by Krafton.

The decision triggered criticism from Vietnam’s PUBG PC community, with players arguing that the tournament rules had not been clearly established from the outset. Some also accused Krafton of treating the Vietnamese players unfairly while favouring participants from host country South Korea.

The criticism has since developed into a wider boycott.

Several major internet cafe operators, including Black Kingdom Gaming, CyberWorld, Win.D Gaming and Billards & PS5, announced that they were removing PUBG PC from thousands of computers.

Vietnamese eSports clubs, including ESF-eSports FPTU HCMC, Nhan Van Esports and Greenwich Esports Vietnam, have also said they will not participate under their names in tournaments, exchanges, media programmes or other activities related to PUBG PC.

Computer retailers Hacom and Xgear have prohibited employees from playing PUBG PC in any form, while social media network TOP Comments said employees found downloading and playing the game would be dismissed immediately.

Prominent figures in Vietnam’s gaming community, including streamer Do Mixi and DJ Chip, have also removed the game from their computers. Other members of the gaming and technology communities have announced that they are quitting PUBG PC in protest over Krafton’s decision.

Criticism has also emerged among PUBG communities in Thailand and China. Some players questioned the severity of the punishment given that PUBG Asia Stars was an exhibition tournament and argued that its rules had not been sufficiently clear.

Members of the community also alleged that Krafton had favoured a South Korean female streamer involved in the controversy, questioning what they saw as unfair treatment of TanVuu and Himass, the latter regarded by some fans as one of the game’s greatest players.

Unlicensed game faces potential block

Separate from the tournament controversy, PUBG PC faces another challenge in Vietnam over its legal status.

The game has been distributed in the country without a license through Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation and Xbox.

VietNamNet has found that access has already been partially restricted, with some Vietnamese internet service providers blocking Steam. Users on those networks can therefore no longer download PUBG PC through the platform.

The restrictions are not yet uniform. Steam remains accessible through some internet providers, while players can still obtain PUBG PC through the other platforms.

According todering measures to comprehensively block the game because its unlicensed distribution violates domestic regulations

PUBG Mobile, by contrast, is officially licensed for distribution in Vietnam and is operated by VNGGames.

The controversy surrounding Krafton has also coincided with a decline in the South Korean game developer’s share price.

Krafton Inc. shares (KRX: 259960) fell 3.41%, from KRW205,000 at the close on September 18, 2026, to KRW198,000 at the end of trading on September 23.

The company’s market capitalisation fell from approximately KRW9.38 trillion to KRW9.06 trillion over the period, representing a decline of about $234.7 million in market value.

• esports

• vietnam’s game industry

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