PUBG-maker Krafton to invest $50M every year in India
31 Aug 2025

Krafton, the South Korean gaming giant behind PUBG: Battlegrounds, is eyeing an expansion in India.

The move comes as part of a strategy to capitalize on the ban of Chinese competitors in one of the world's fastest-growing gaming markets.

Sean Sohn, Krafton's head for India, told Financial Times that the company is looking at acquisitions and plans to invest at least $50 million annually in India.

Krafton acknowledges challenges
Strategy

Sohn acknowledged the challenge of replicating the success of PUBG, but emphasized that developing another hit game is a key challenge for Krafton. This highlights Krafton's commitment to expanding its gaming portfolio in India.

India's youth population presents opportunity
Dynamics

India, which has the largest youth population in the world with 65% of its 1.4 billion citizens under 35, presents a huge opportunity for Krafton.

However, the market is also known for being price-sensitive and not very open to new games.

Despite these challenges, Sohn said "they show strong loyalty once they get to enjoy a game," highlighting potential long-term customer retention in India.

India's gaming market is growing rapidly
Market growth

Despite being just a fifth of South Korea's estimated ₩20 trillion ($14.4 billion) gaming industry, India's market is growing rapidly.

According to market researcher Niko Partners, the number of gamers in India grew by 12% last year to reach 444 million.

This growth further emphasizes Krafton's decision to invest heavily in the Indian gaming industry and expand its presence here.