Aespa to perform at the PUBG Nations Cup

PUBG Esports has announced that K-pop group aespa will perform on the final day of the 2025 PUBG Nations Cup.

The K-pop group will play ‘Dark Arts,’ a promotional single, for the first time at the event taking place from July 23rd to 27th, 2025

The performance is part of a wider collaboration between the battle royale title and aespa. Players taking part in the event can earn a range of exclusive themed items and purchasing skins resembling members of the group.

Alongside the cosmetic items, parts of the Miramar map have been reimagined with the group’s logo and a music stage.

“On the final day of the PNC Final Stage, we’ll be performing Dark Arts live for the first time ever — only on the PNC stage,” the group revealed on social media.

PUBG is no stranger to joining forces with K-pop groups. In 2021, the title partnered with BLACKPINK in a similar activation where elements of the map were changed for a limited time and players could complete challenges to unlock exclusive items.

Collaborating with PUBG isn’t the first time Aespa has embarked on a gaming collaboration. In June, the group revealed it was joining forces with Capcom for a Street Fighter 6 collaboration, which began on July 4th, 2025.

PUBG remains one of the most popular battle royale titles within global esports. The Nations Cup will see 24 teams from across the world will compete for a share of a $500,000 (~£370,642) prize pool.

The Nations Cup is an annual event that doesn’t form part of the title’s path to the Global Championship. The final event of the PUBG calendar features the top teams from the regional leagues, competing for an opportunity to be crowned world champion.

The esport will also feature at this year’s Esports World Cup, with teams from regional qualifiers and the Global Power Ranking heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from August 12th to 16th.