Video games and television have always had a great relationship. The amount of shows and games that have crossed over to the other medium is almost endless. Many companies have used both to bring entertainment to their fans including the Pokemon and South Park franchises. KRAFTON Inc.’s PUBG: Battlegrounds is looking to join that illustrious group with a new animated series based on the hit video game.
With more than 70 million copies sold on PC and over one billion downloads on mobile, PUBG: Battlegrounds is one of the best selling games of all time. It only makes sense that the franchise would be making the move to television.
Via press release from KRAFTON Inc., the franchise announced today that Adi Shankar (Lone Survivor) will be the creator and showrunner for the new project. Shankar, who most recently worked on the highly-touted anime, Castlevania, is a perfect fit for the third-person shooter game. Some of the films he has worked on include Liam Neeson’s The Grey, Killing Them Softly with Brad Pitt, and Mark Wahlberg’s Lone Survivor. Shankar seems to have a deft touch with action and violence, a key component of PUBG: Battleground.
In the same release, Shankar related his excitement to the fans. “I’m grateful to KRAFTON for the trust and confidence they’ve placed in me to execute my vision as a filmmaker and I’m excited to embark on this journey together.”
KRAFTON Inc.’s CEO, CH Kim, echoed Shankar’s remarks saying, “Our partnership with Adi Shankar represents a step into our broader strategy of expanding the PUBG Universe into a multimedia franchise.”
The animated series will not be the first attempt by KRAFTON Inc. to bring their hit game to other media outlets. The franchise released their first live-action short film, Ground Zero, on June 27th. Don Lee (Train to Busan) starred in the ten minute video. They also released an investigative docu-series, Mysteries Unknown: Birth of the Battlegrounds, which was hosted by Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation).
PUBG: Battlegrounds is one of the most popular games in the world right now, and it is only right that the franchise expands and grows. A new animated series would go a long way in bringing the game to even more households. The show is still extremely early in development, so fans will have to stay tuned for more info on what’s to come.