How Much Does PUBG Game Cost to Make?

7 Aug, 2025

6 min read

When I first started playing PUBG, I was instantly hooked by the intense battle royale action, the strategic depth, and the adrenaline rush that comes with every match. As I continued to play and became more involved in the PUBG community, I started to wonder, how much does it really cost to build and maintain a global phenomenon like PUBG?

From the game’s initial development to its ongoing updates and global server infrastructure, there’s a lot more behind PUBG than just the gameplay. In this blog, I’ll take you on a deep dive into the true cost of creating and sustaining PUBG, exploring everything from the development process and server management to customer acquisition, PR strategies, and revenue generation. Let’s break it all down and see what it really takes to keep this global gaming giant running.

The Development of PUBG

PUBG’s journey began as a concept in 2017 by Brendan Greene (aka PlayerUnknown), who envisioned a battle royale game that would offer players an immersive survival experience. Developed by the South Korean company PUBG Corporation, the game was initially inspired by a mod of ARMA 2. The development team was relatively small at the beginning, but as the game gained popularity, the team expanded significantly.

The process of turning this idea into reality involved many phases, including conceptualizing the gameplay mechanics, developing the game engine, designing characters and game environments, and testing the game. The development team grew to include engineers, designers, artists, and quality assurance testers, all working tirelessly to make PUBG the hit it is today.

“PUBG set a new standard for scalability and user engagement in the mobile gaming world. From a development standpoint, it’s a brilliant case study in how to balance performance, design, and server-side stability for millions of concurrent players.”

– Umair Ahmed, VP of Growth at Cubix, a Game Development Company

Developing a game like PUBG, a shooting game, is an expensive venture. Game engines, design, and programming are the core pillars of game development, each coming with its own costs. PUBG uses Unreal Engine, a high-end game engine that comes with licensing fees and requires continuous development support to ensure it runs efficiently.

The cost of game development can easily run into millions of dollars. For example, the initial development cost of PUBG is estimated to be around $10 million, with continuous updates, patches, and content additions pushing costs even higher. As the game expanded, additional resources were invested in maintaining the global server infrastructure and optimizing the game for different platforms.

Marketing and PR Costs

Creating the game is only part of the equation; getting it into the hands of millions of players is another challenge. PUBG invested heavily in marketing to establish a global presence. The game relied heavily on influencer marketing, partnerships, and social media campaigns to reach a wide audience.

Major streamers and YouTubers were key in spreading the word about PUBG, which helped the game quickly gain traction. PUBG also held several global tournaments, further fueling the buzz. All these marketing and PR efforts come with hefty costs, but they paid off by creating a massive player base and securing PUBG’s place in the battle royale genre.

Server Management and Infrastructure Costs

One of the biggest challenges for any online multiplayer game is server management. With PUBG attracting millions of players daily, managing global server infrastructure is a massive cost. PUBG Corporation has invested heavily in maintaining and scaling its servers to handle millions of concurrent players.

The game requires high-performance servers across multiple regions to ensure smooth gameplay, low latency, and zero downtime. Server hosting, load balancing, and scaling to accommodate the growing number of players is a crucial part of PUBG’s operational costs. These costs continue to rise as the player base grows, requiring constant investment in infrastructure.

Read More: The Rise of Multiplayer Games

The Economic Model of PUBG

PUBG operates under a free-to-play model, where players can download and play the game for free but can spend money on in-game purchases. The primary revenue streams for PUBG include skins, loot boxes, the Battle Pass, and seasonal content. These microtransactions have proven to be highly lucrative for PUBG, generating millions of dollars each month.

In addition to in-game purchases, PUBG also benefits from partnerships with brands for promotional collaborations, including exclusive skins and in-game events. These sponsorships add another layer of revenue that helps offset the ongoing costs of running the game.

Customer Acquisition and Retention

Attracting players to PUBG is only the first step; retaining them is a much bigger challenge. PUBG has maintained a steady influx of new players while keeping its existing players engaged through regular updates, new content, and seasonal events.

To retain customers, PUBG frequently introduces new maps, limited-time game modes, and skins. This constant stream of fresh content keeps players engaged and willing to spend money on new items. Customer retention is crucial for PUBG’s continued success, and this comes at a high cost in terms of development and marketing.

Making Money from PUBG

PUBG’s main sources of revenue come from in-game purchases, including skins, costumes, and the Battle Pass. Players spend money to customize their characters, unlocking new looks and items to enhance their gameplay experience. Additionally, PUBG frequently runs special events and collaborations with other brands, introducing limited-edition content that encourages players to spend more.

The company also profits from selling the game on platforms like Steam and Xbox. Though the game is free-to-play, players have the option to purchase premium content that enhances their gaming experience.

Managing Traffic and Scaling for Global Demand

PUBG’s massive success means that managing high traffic and scaling its infrastructure is a constant challenge. The game experiences periods of intense player activity, especially during major updates or events. Handling this traffic requires robust infrastructure capable of scaling quickly to accommodate sudden spikes in demand.

The developers use cloud services, dedicated servers, and load balancing techniques to ensure the game remains stable even with millions of concurrent players. This scalability is essential for PUBG’s continued success and requires a significant investment in technology and infrastructure.

The Team Behind PUBG

Behind PUBG’s success is a talented and dedicated team of engineers, designers, developers, and artists. The development team is responsible for everything from game mechanics to character design, environment art, and optimization. The team also handles ongoing updates and patches, which require continuous work to keep the game running smoothly.

As PUBG has grown, so has its development team. Today, PUBG Corporation employs hundreds of professionals, including a diverse group of engineers, designers, and artists. This growing team is crucial for sustaining the game’s success and keeping it relevant in the fast-evolving gaming industry.

Role/Service	Team Size	Avg. Rate (USD/hour)	Estimated Cost Range (USD)
Game Developers (Front & Backend)	10–15	$40–$100	$1.5M – $3M
Game Designers (UI/UX, Gameplay)	5–8	$30–$80	$500K – $1M
3D Artists & Animators	6–10	$25–$70	$600K – $1.2M
Project Managers	1–2	$50–$120	$200K – $500K
QA Testers	4–6	$20–$50	$200K – $400K
Sound Designers & Composers	1–3	$40–$100	$150K – $300K
Server Infrastructure (Year 1)	–	–	$1M – $3M
Marketing & PR Campaigns	–	–	$2M – $5M+
Customer Support & Live Ops	10–15	$15–$40	$500K – $1M annually
Licensing (e.g., Unreal Engine)	–	–	$300K – $1M+ (royalty-based)
Content Creation (Skins, Maps)	–	–	$500K – $2M+

The total cost of building a game like PUBG ranges between $10 million – $15 million at launch, with an additional $5–10 million required annually for updates, servers, and ongoing support.

The Total Cost of PUBG

When you factor in the costs of development, marketing, server management, and the development team, the total cost of PUBG is astronomical. While experts don’t share exact figures, they estimate PUBG has cost over $100 million to build and maintain.

Despite the high costs, PUBG has proven to be an incredibly lucrative venture. It has generated billions in revenue and continues to be one of the most popular games worldwide.

Conclusion

PUBG’s success is a testament to the significant investment required to build and maintain a global gaming phenomenon. From development to marketing, infrastructure, and player retention, PUBG has incurred substantial costs to remain one of the world’s most popular games. However, its revenue model and massive player base have more than justified the investment, making PUBG a standout example of how to build a successful global game.

In the end, the cost of building PUBG reflects the passion, innovation, and resources poured into creating an unforgettable gaming experience. As of last year, PUBG has surpassed 1.3 billion downloads globally and continues to attract millions of active players each month (Statista). As long as the game continues to evolve and engage its players, it will likely remain a leader in the gaming world.

At Cubix, we understand what goes into building high-impact games like PUBG. From scalable architecture to immersive gameplay design, our team helps bring ambitious game ideas to life, backed by solid strategy and real-world performance.