In case you thought gaming and eSports are only for geeks and freaks, you’re so wrong. Trust me. Gaming is exciting, out of this world, escapism. Allowing us to dive into surreal worlds, allowing us to be someone else: a hero, a villain, a witch, an Assassin, a squad leader — whoever we want, whatever we want. And now, gaming can even be fashion. Balenciaga has just released a digital and physical collaboration with PUBG: Battlegrounds and PUBG Mobile. A collaboration that is fierce, post-apocalyptic, bold, sci-fi and haute couture — all at the same time.
Who remembers this bitter-sweet, breathtaking, captivating era of dystopian science fiction action movies in the 2010s that had us in a complete chokehold? You know, Maze Runner (2014) with Dylan O’Brien, for example. Or Divergent (2014), the story of Tris who doesn’t fit in any of the factions based on human virtues. Or, the original one, maybe, that started all of it: The Hunger Games (2012). The story of Katniss, who volunteers to fight in a deadly arena where there can be only one lone winner. That’s a really good plot. The power, the tragedy, the humanity, the inhumanity, the horror, the love. Incredible. And that’s basically exactly, or not exactly, the plot of PUBG: Battlegrounds. Because obviously, this era I’m talking about was already around ten years ago. But, thanks to whoever was in charge of that, the immersive drama is not gone. It just shifted. And video games took over.
In PUBG: Battlegrounds for example, one hundred players get dropped off on one of a selection of unique locations, an island for example, an abandoned city. Here, they fight solo, as a duo or as a squad against each other, they loot, they survive, they kill until there is one lone winner standing. Kind of, The Hunger Games (2012), I told you so. So, what Balenciaga announced today is that this special collaboration consists of exclusive in-game content, merch, and gifts for the champions of this year’s official tournaments.
In PUBG Mobile, the players can unlock special Balenciaga looks and pieces including the silver, shimmering, badass armour look that is inspired by the House’s 3D-printed dress from the 52nd Couture Collection, designed by former creative director, Demna. And let’s be real, who wouldn’t love to dress their savage video game character in something like this? Other pieces that are featured in the digital collaboration are inspired by the brand’s Winter 2025 collection. There’s a pink corset-fitted puffer jacket with a big furry hood, for example. A standard logo t-shirt for everyone who wants to keep it simple. There are distressed jeans, a trompe l’oeil tied sleeve miniskirt, a blue fur helmet, thigh-high stiletto boots (because if you lose your dagger, you can still eliminate your opponent with these incredibly fashionable pointy weapons). And, of course, a selection of piercing-covered bags that we also know from real life: from the Explorer, Le City and to the Superbusy lines.
But before you’re getting disappointed now because you’re not good at playing video games, there will also be physical merch of the collaboration available in selected stores and online. This includes Australia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States, and the United Arab Emirates. In the meantime, the highlight for everyone who actually is an exceptional video game player: Each person on the winning teams of the 2025’s massive PUBG Global competitions (that will be hosted in Bangkok from December 12th to 14th) will be granted a custom Balenciaga bomber jacket. So much again to the geeks and freaks from the beginning, right?
Overall, the collaboration between the high fashion house and PUBG embraces the convergence between the cultural roles of today's digital worlds: of gaming and of eSports but also of fashion, design and the virtual self. It’s a combination of Balenciaga’s own extravagant futuristic design language and the video game’s dystopian atmosphere — a match that feels natural, logical and still progressive. I don’t know about you, but I might create a profile now on PUBG just to get this fierce haute couture armour look.
