NetEase's PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds-inspired mobile battle royale game Knives Out has surpassed 100 million downloads.

The game initially launched in beta form on November 3rd. NetEase stated that its global launch occurred on December 14th, meaning it took just over a month to accrue 100 million downloads in its beta.

Knives Out's global launch brings in a wealth of new content, including new customisation options and up to five-person squads. Players can also jump into the game using tandem parachutes, keeping squads together in the early stages of battles.

Get 'em out

NetEase's strategy of quickly launching multiple PUBG clones appears to be paying off. Rules of Survival, a similar game with a higher player count, has already cleared 15 million downloads and launched an influencer-led competition with real money prizes.

The only game not performing too well is Survivor Royale. While it appears to be a Westernised version of Knives Out, the game has failed to find an audience outside of Brunei and Thailand.

What's most interesting about these games is that NetEase has yet to monetise them, focusing instead on building up an audience as rapidly as possible. While it might not sound smart, some would argue that it's not such a stupid plan after all.