Krafton pledges additional $250 million to India

The PUBG publisher plans to expand investments in Indian gaming, digital content, physical AI and humanoid robotics over the next four years.

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Krafton Executive Director Chang Byung-gyu holds a flower bouquet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Sept. 4.
Krafton Chairman Chang Byung-gyu, left, holds a flower bouquet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Sept. 4.

Krafton Chairman Chang Byung-gyu met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and pledged an additional $250 million in investment in India, the Korean game maker said Monday.

Krafton is a game publisher behind the battle royale game PUBG: Battlegrounds.

Friday’s meeting centered on helping locally produced Indian games and content reach global markets, an effort Krafton aims to support through investment in gaming, emerging technologies and digital content.

The meeting was part of broader efforts to support “Viksit Bharat,” India’s state-led initiative to become a developed economy by 2047.

“India is a key market whose strength lies in its exceptional pool of talent in gaming, technology and innovation,” Chang said. “By investing in that ecosystem, we hope to work with the country’s creators, developers and entrepreneurs to build experiences and technologies that resonate worldwide.”

Krafton established its Indian subsidiary in 2020 and launched Battlegrounds Mobile India the following year. The game had 240 million users as of the end of last year and has become one of India's most popular games.

Krafton has invested $250 million in India since establishing its local subsidiary.

The company plans to invest another $250 million over the next three to four years. It also plans to expand its investments beyond gaming and content into emerging technologies such as physical AI and humanoid robotics.

In April, Krafton teamed up with Naver and Mirae Asset Securities to launch the $670 million “Unicorn Growth Fund” for investments in India.

“Krafton’s continued investment reflects our long-term confidence in India and our commitment to contributing to the country's digital economy,” Chang said.

BY OH HYEON-WOO [[email protected]]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.