Project ARC is Taking a Bigger Risk Than Helldivers 2 in Sequel That is Wildly Different Than ‘Battlegrounds’

PUBG Studios is making a bold move by diving into uncharted territory with its newly announced game Project ARC, a 5v5 shooter. The team behind the groundbreaking battle royale PUBG: Battlegrounds, is switching from PUBG’s vast, open battlefields to a top-down 5v5 arena tactical shooter.

Project ARC is a five-versus-five shooter designed with a top-down perspective, focusing on quick strategic play and cooperative mechanics rather than individual survival. The situation places it in a similar position to Helldivers 2, a sequel that also attempted to take over a target market and succeeded.

Project ARC Is Going To Be Quite Different From PUBG

Unlike Helldivers 2, which made the successful jump from top-down to third-person shooter, Project ARC is taking an even bigger gamble by choosing to switch POVs in a similar way. Rather than expanding on PUBG’s realistic first- and third-person perspectives, the new game will shrink the scope to a top-down viewpoint.

Announcement & gameplay trailer of KRAFTON’s new PC 5v5 Top-Down Tactical Hero-Shooter–

“PUBG: Project ARC.”

• “inspired by PUBG: Battlegrounds”
• MK14, AWM, P90, blue-zone grenade, folded shield, recon drones, proximity explosives
• STEAM release (can be wishlisted now) pic.twitter.com/jDre26joJz

— PlayerIGN (@PlayerIGN) October 29, 2024

Helldivers 2 built on its predecessor’s concepts and added new layers. But in contrast, PUBG Studios is moving away from the familiar, stepping further from the battle royale format that put PUBG on the map. For fans, this means diving into a more tactical, slower-paced experience that might need mores team strategy.

Krafton, PUBG’s publisher, has shared that the new game will a mix of new and old weapons, from sniper rifles to explosive hammers. Each character in the game will have specialized gadgets for both offensive and defensive scenarios. Krafton has a lot on its plate though so nothing’s for sure.

Man the gun sfx is literally from pubg. What a unique take on top down. This is actually inspired by @bulletecho who happened to have collab will pubgm india before.

— EMMAN B (@emmanbofficial) October 29, 2024

For instance, players will be able to use recon drones for tactical intel or flashbangs to confuse enemies. Weapons familiar to PUBG players, like the Mk14 and AWM will make an appearance. But in this close-quarters, objective-driven context, these tools will likely feel quite different.

Can Krafton Find The Magic Again This Time Around?

While top-down shooters certainly have a niche following, the genre hasn’t reached the mainstream heights of first and third-person shooters. With Project ARC being a successor to PUBG, it definitely has the potential to change this.

We’ve been waiting for pubg 2 (or the UE5 update) for forever and this is what they’ve been doing with their time? Yikes.

— Adam Lix (@xAdamxLix) October 29, 2024

With these ambitious changes, Project ARC faces the significant challenge of following a title as iconic as PUBG. PUBG revolutionized the battle royale genre and even holds the record for the highest number of concurrent players on Steam.

With its fast-paced military-style gameplay, PUBG drew in millions, a milestone few games have managed to reach. Project ARC will need to meet high expectations and distinguish itself, a difficult feat in a genre that is already less prepared among players.

PUBG Studios has not announced a specific release date for Project ARC, which is expected to debut on PC via Steam. Given the premise that the studio has promised, there will be a lot of eyes watching and waiting to see. roject ARC has the potential to succeed if it can blend innovation with the appeal of PUBG’s tried-and-true combat mechanics.

What do you think of Krafton’s new endeavor? Let us know in the comments!