Krafton explores acquisitions, investments in India: report

South Korean gaming firm Krafton, popular for its mobile game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is actively pursuing investments and acquisitions in India, with the company having already committed $200 million to the market, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Sunday.

Krafton India chief executive officer (CEO) Sean Hyunil Sohn said the structured process and constructive feedback mechanisms in India’s regulatory scene appear optimistic for the company.

“We want to double down on gaming and its addressable area because we believe now it is time for the gaming industry to become much more sizable and impactful. And we see a much bigger potential for the next two-three years,” Sohn told PTI.

While Krafton does not disclose country-specific revenue figures, Sohn told the news agency that India is among its top five markets in terms of both revenue and user base.

India’s expanding economy and rising smartphone adoption have led to this growth, he said.

Despite the increasing popularity of gaming and e-sports, Sohn said that India’s gaming market remains smaller when compared with more mature global markets.

However, he noted India’s distinct advantage as a “mobile gaming native” country, unlike other regions that transitioned from consoles and computers before taking up mobile gaming.

“In terms of size or in terms of development stage, as an industry, I think it is still early or relatively small compared to the global gaming markets. But I think India has a very unique position because India is a mobile gaming native country,” he told PTI, calling the industry’s growth potential as “very promising.”

Additionally, India’s demographic composition also plays a role in the industry’s expansion. The country has a large and youthful population, which Sohn believes contributes to the sector’s long-term potential.

“And then we have one of the most popular game in the country, which is still steadily growing in terms of user base, and in terms of revenue. So I think India market has been very attractive for us to build our presence and invest more,” he told the news agency.

“Krafton has had a great financial year in 2024. So I think we have more capacity to invest in India, which is one of top performing markets for the company. We will not stop investing… say at $200-300 million. We have invested $200 million so far, but I think we are still actively looking at opportunities to invest and maybe acquire, if there is an attractive company to acquire and work with. We are very active,” Sohn said.

Although Krafton operates as a global game publisher, Sohn said that game development remains central to its identity. The company seeks partners who are committed to creating games and share its vision for the industry.