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- Image of PUBG, Courtesy of Krafton Inc.

Brendan Greene Reflects on PUBG’s Legacy and the Birth of Battle Royale

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By Mollie Dominy | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 12:39 AM ET

Brendan Greene, better known as PlayerUnknown, didn’t set out to create a billion-dollar genre. He just wanted to make a game mode that didn’t bore him to tears. Fast forward a decade, and the guy’s responsible for the battle royale boom that gave us Fortnite dances, Warzone rage-quits, and Apex Legends third-party trauma. And now, at Gamescom 2025, Greene’s reflecting on the chaos he helped unleash—and yeah, he’s humbled by it.

“I Didn’t Even Intend to Do It”

Greene’s origin story isn’t some calculated pitch to investors. It’s more “I built something cool and the internet lost its mind.” In his own words:

“I just wanted to make a game mode that I wanted to play. The fact that it turned into a genre, it’s humbling.”

That’s the kind of accidental success most devs dream about while debugging spaghetti code at 3 a.m.

PUBG didn’t just launch a game—it detonated a movement. And Greene’s still wrapping his head around how far it’s gone. “I love Battlefield,” he said, “and I see Battlefield putting it in all these other games. It’s just amazing.” Translation: even the big dogs are borrowing his homework.

From Modder to Genre Godfather

Before PUBG was a global phenomenon, Greene was just a modder trying to spice up Arma. He didn’t have a billion-dollar studio or a marketing army—just a vision and a knack for chaos. And that chaos turned into a genre that’s now a staple across every major platform.

He’s watched battle royale evolve from scrappy mod to esports juggernaut (talk about a glow-up!). During COVID, events like the World Series of Warzone proved that the genre wasn’t just popular—it was competitive, lucrative, and culturally dominant, all the qualities that a gamer looks for when it comes ot a good time! Streamers, content creators, and casual players just, dive-bombed, right into it, and Greene was right there watching it unfold.

The Human Side of Battle Royale

Image of PUBG, Courtesy of Krafton Inc.

But what really hits Greene isn’t the money or the fame—it’s the stories. He shared one from a streamer named Zach Nefine, who reviewed Greene’s new game Prologue and then dropped a bombshell off-camera: PUBG helped him reconnect with old high school friends. Now he has a tight-knit group of 20 people he games with regularly.

“That’s the kind of thing I’m most proud of,” Greene said. “I’ve heard these stories all over the world from people who’ve reconnected or found new groups because of something I helped create.”

It’s not just about dropping into a map and surviving—it’s about the friendships forged in the chaos.

What’s Next: Prologue Is Greene’s New Playground

PUBG is still going strong in 2025, Greene’s focus has shifted to his next project: Prologue: Go Wayback (it’s the Wayback Mr. Peabody)! A survival game with an open beta, and is being built under his studio, PlayerUnknown Productions. He’s not trying to chase trends—he’s trying to build something fresh, something that scratches the same itch PUBG did back when it was just a mod.

Prologue isn’t a battle royale clone. It’s a new direction, a new experiment, and Greene’s clearly excited to see where it goes. If PUBG was the genre-defining blockbuster, Prologue might be the quiet indie that surprises everyone.

Final Thoughts: The Accidental Architect of Chaos

Brendan Greene didn’t set out to change gaming forever—but he sure as sugar did a good job of doing so. PUBG reshaped a whole genre in how we play, how we compete, and how we connect. And while he’s moved on to new projects, his legacy is baked into every last-circle showdown and every “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner” screenshot.

He’s not chasing clout—he’s chasing creativity. And in a world full of copy-paste shooters, that’s something worth celebrating. So here’s to the guy who made battle royale happen by accident—and to whatever genre he accidentally invents next.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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