KRAFTON bans Vietnamese PUBG players Himass and TanVuu for life

PUBG Esports KRAFTON Himass TanVuu stream sniping

KRAFTON has issued lifetime bans to Vietnamese PUBG players Himass (Lã Phương Tiến Đạt) and TanVuu (Trần Tấn Vũ) following an investigation into the PUBG Asia Stars 2026 tournament. The developer concluded the players used external information, specifically stream sniping, to gain tactical advantages. Consequently, their accounts have been permanently locked, and they are barred from all official professional PUBG Esports tournaments globally.

The decision has triggered massive backlash in Vietnam, leading to a boycott by streamers and players, and an online petition for justice that has surpassed 4 million signatures. In response to the controversy, PUBG PC has removed its official social media presence in Vietnam, and the PUBG Vietnam Series 2026 (PVS) Phase 2 has been indefinitely postponed.

Himass has announced his retirement from professional PUBG PC esports, expressing gratitude for his career while noting the impact of the controversy on the community. The situation has also drawn criticism from international communities in China and Thailand, with some questioning the consistency of KRAFTON's enforcement. Additionally, the controversy has impacted KRAFTON in South Korea, where the football club FC Seoul announced it would withdraw its PUBG-branded pop-up store from an upcoming event due to fan concerns.

Entities

Himass · Krafton · PUBG · PUBG PC · PUBG: Battlegrounds · TanVuu · Vietnam

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 9 SOURCES] KRAFTON issued a permanent global ban against players Himass and TanVuu. cafebiz.vn · genk.vn · news.tuoitre.vn · tuoitre.vn · cafef.vn · +1 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The PUBG Vietnam Series 2026 (PVS) Phase 2 has been indefinitely postponed. genk.vn · cafef.vn
[○ 1 SOURCE] An online petition titled 'Justice For PUBG VN' has gathered over 4 million signatures. cafebiz.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Official PUBG PC social media channels in Vietnam, including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, have been removed or made inaccessible. genk.vn · cafef.vn
[● 2 SOURCES] The players' PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS accounts have been permanently locked. cafebiz.vn
[● 4 SOURCES] Himass and TanVuu violated operating policies by using stream sniping to gain tactical advantages. cafebiz.vn · vtv.vn
[● 2 SOURCES] The players are banned from all professional PUBG Esports tournaments globally, including PGS, PNC, and PGC. cafebiz.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Himass has officially announced his retirement from professional PUBG PC esports. news.tuoitre.vn · tuoitre.vn