Krafton Inc., a South Korean gaming giant, said Friday that its global smash hit "PUBG: Battlegrounds" will be going free to play starting next month.

The game will start a free-to-play mode on all platforms, including computers and consoles, on Jan. 12, 2022, to enable more people to enjoy the battle royale style game, Krafton said.

The global-hit game, in which users fight to remain the last person alive, launched in 2017 as a paid game.

It has quickly gained global popularity, selling over 75 million copies.

The mobile version of the game has racked up over 1 billion downloads globally, excluding China. (Yonhap)