The PUBG Asia Stars 2026 tournament has been engulfed in controversy following the involvement of Krafton, the game's publisher. On September 21, Yoon Su-jin, the head of PUBG Publishing, issued a public apology on Naver, acknowledging the chaos caused during the event and the subsequent harm to participants and fans.

The drama began when two Vietnamese players, Himass and Tanvuu, were found to have received information from outside sources, which led to their disqualification after they attacked South Korean player Soopi. This incident raised questions about the integrity of the tournament and the clarity of its rules.

Krafton's apology detailed several failures in the event's management, including a lack of clear guidelines for penalties regarding external information use. Yoon Su-jin stated that the responsibility for the incident lies entirely with Krafton, which failed to protect the players and manage the situation effectively. He emphasized that the company would not make excuses and acknowledged the need for disciplinary actions against the implicated players.

The announcement has not been well received by the gaming community in Vietnam, with many expressing their anger on social media. The official statement on the PUBG Battlegrounds fan page received over 95,000 angry reactions and nearly 32,000 comments questioning Krafton's handling of the situation. As a result, the company had to disable comments on subsequent posts.

In addition to the backlash against Krafton, players have begun to boycott PUBG, with some even deleting the game from their devices. The controversy has also led to speculation about potential sanctions for Himass and Tanvuu, with rumors suggesting they could face bans of up to one year.

As the situation develops, Krafton has committed to cooperating fully with any legal actions taken by the players involved and has promised to support all parties affected by the incident. The company is also under scrutiny for its previous handling of similar accusations against Soopi, who has faced allegations of stream sniping in the past.

This ongoing drama highlights the challenges faced by esports organizers in maintaining fair play and transparency in competitive gaming, as well as the significant impact that mismanagement can have on the community.