KRAFTON has permanently banned Vietnamese PUBG players Himass and TanVuu from official PUBG esports after completing its investigation into the stream-sniping controversy that derailed PUBG Asia Stars 2026.
The sanctions go considerably further than their initial removal from the tournament. Both players have had their PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS game accounts permanently banned and are permanently disqualified from all official PUBG esports competitions organised or sanctioned by KRAFTON worldwide.
That includes PUBG Global Championship (PGC), PUBG Global Series (PGS), PUBG Nations Cup (PNC) and other official KRAFTON-sanctioned competitions. The punishment took effect immediately following publication of the investigation findings.
The decision brings a disciplinary conclusion to the central competitive-integrity question behind a controversy that has consumed PUBG’s Asian community for nearly a week. It does not, however, end KRAFTON’s own examination of how the situation was allowed to escalate.
KRAFTON confirms Himass and TanVuu used external information
KRAFTON said its investigation involved a comprehensive review of official broadcasts, participant footage, in-game data and replays involving Himass of Anyone’s Legend and TanVuu of The Expendables.
The publisher concluded that both players obtained information from other participants’ livestreams or external sources during matches and used information that would have been difficult to acquire through normal gameplay to inform their decisions and tactics.
KRAFTON determined that the conduct violated the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Rules of Conduct as well as the standards of conduct and professionalism expected from professional PUBG esports players.
The company specifically cited Section 5, Item 10 of its Rules of Conduct concerning gameplay interference and harassment, alongside Section 5, Item 12 concerning abusing.
The findings represent a significant progression from the position KRAFTON held during the early stages of the controversy. The publisher initially removed the two Vietnamese players while continuing its investigation, before later confirming that external game information and stream sniping had occurred.
TalkEsport previously reported on KRAFTON’s full apology, in which PUBG Publishing head Soojin Yoon accepted responsibility for the company’s operational and communication failures while confirming that disciplinary proceedings against Himass and TanVuu were underway.
Himass and TanVuu permanently banned from PUBG esports
KRAFTON has now imposed two permanent sanctions on each player.
- Permanent bans on their PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS game accounts.
- Permanent disqualification from official PUBG esports leagues and competitions worldwide that are organised or sanctioned by KRAFTON.
KRAFTON said the severity of the punishment also reflected the higher standards of fairness, responsibility and professionalism expected from professional esports players.
The ruling does not necessarily end the players’ ability to challenge the sanctions. KRAFTON said both Himass and TanVuu retain the right to present their cases through the established PUBG esports procedures.
KRAFTON rejects claims that stream sniping had been permitted
One of the most important parts of KRAFTON’s findings addresses a defence that emerged during the controversy: claims that participants had understood the use of external broadcasts or information to be permitted because of the nature of PUBG Asia Stars.
KRAFTON acknowledged that some participants claimed they had been told that viewing external broadcasts or using outside information during matches was allowed. The publisher, however, said it had never officially authorised such conduct.
According to KRAFTON, the prohibition applies across its leagues and events regardless of the prize pool, competitive format or type of participants involved. The company also denied applying different competitive-integrity standards between regions.
That clarification is significant because both players had previously argued that there were no sufficiently specific pre-tournament guidelines addressing the situation. KRAFTON itself subsequently acknowledged that its operational standards and communication had not been sufficiently clear, helping turn the original competitive dispute into a much wider controversy.
No other participants found to warrant sanctions
KRAFTON also investigated similar allegations involving other PUBG Asia Stars participants using the same standards applied to Himass and TanVuu.
The publisher said its investigation found no additional evidence of violations that warranted sanctions.
That finding is particularly relevant to the controversy surrounding Korean streamer Soopi. During the dispute, allegations circulated accusing Soopi of similar conduct, which she publicly denied. She subsequently described suffering cyberbullying and questioned KRAFTON’s failure to protect participants as the dispute escalated.
KRAFTON has now apologised to participants and other individuals who faced what it described as unjust criticism and attacks arising from the controversy. The company said it would provide support intended to prevent further harm and assist those affected.
PUBG Asia Stars controversy had already spread across Vietnam
The final sanctions arrive after the controversy expanded far beyond the two players and the tournament itself.
As TalkEsport reported on September 22, prominent Vietnamese creators and esports organisations had begun publicly challenging KRAFTON’s handling of the incident while awaiting the final disciplinary findings.
Creators including DjChip, Độ Mixi, PewPew and RAMBO had spoken publicly about the dispute, while Anyone’s Legend and GAM The Expendables issued statements concerning Himass and TanVuu. Some of those responses focused not only on the underlying allegations but on KRAFTON’s inconsistent communication and the need for the publisher to establish its findings before determining the final punishment.
TanVuu had also uninstalled PUBG during a livestream on September 22 while the disciplinary process was still officially pending. At the time, he discussed moving his focus towards streaming rather than continuing as a traditional professional player.
KRAFTON says its own investigation isn’t over
Although the disciplinary case against Himass and TanVuu has now produced a ruling, KRAFTON says its examination of the wider PUBG Asia Stars failure will continue.
The publisher again accepted responsibility for failing to provide sufficiently timely guidance and for not communicating its rules and procedures consistently from the beginning. It said its responsibility would not end with sanctioning the two players.
KRAFTON is conducting an internal review covering tournament operations, communications, the investigation process and decision-making surrounding PUBG Asia Stars. Follow-up measures are expected after that review.
The scale of the fallout explains why that review matters. Two players were removed, all eight Korean participants boycotted Day 2, the final day was cancelled and the tournament ended without official standings. The dispute then spilled into the Korean and Vietnamese PUBG communities while sponsors and prominent creators began responding publicly.
KRAFTON’s latest ruling provides a definitive answer to one major question: the company concluded that Himass and TanVuu violated its rules by using external information and has permanently removed both from its official competitive ecosystem.
The remaining question is how KRAFTON responds to its own acknowledged failures — and whether the measures that follow can prevent another competitive-integrity dispute from escalating the way PUBG Asia Stars did.
