Video Game Development & Publishing · Publisher & Media Owner · Private Equity, VC & Investor
KRAFTON
Global game publisher monetising PUBG and multi-platform live-service intellectual property.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- KRAFTON, Inc.
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- South Korea
- Company size
- 1,001–5,000
- Market cluster / sector
- Video Game Development & Publishing
- Market role
- Publisher & Media Owner · Private Equity, VC & Investor
- Official website
- krafton.com
What KRAFTON does
KRAFTON develops, acquires, publishes and operates game intellectual property through owned and affiliated studios. It distributes premium and free-to-play titles across PC, console and mobile platforms, creates recurring live-service revenue through virtual-item transactions, and licenses its intellectual property to publishing partners. Acquisitions add studios, development talent, proprietary game franchises and regional publishing capabilities to the portfolio.
Category differentiation
KRAFTON is a game developer and publisher that owns and operates entertainment IP; it is not solely a PUBG brand or a pure gaming investment fund. Its Indian advertising operation is a subsidiary-led extension of the group's game ecosystem, not its primary corporate business.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
KRAFTON, Inc. is a South Korean public video-game developer, publisher and entertainment company. It operates a portfolio of internal and affiliated studios that develop and publish PC, console and mobile games, including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG MOBILE, BGMI, inZOI, Subnautica and Last Epoch. The company owns and expands game intellectual property through development, global publishing, live operations and studio acquisitions. KRAFTON earns revenue from game-access rights, in-game item sales and IP licensing royalties. Its direct customers are consumer players using mobile devices, PCs and consoles. PUBG is the core commercial franchise, while new-IP publishing, international studio acquisitions, India localisation and game-specific AI research support portfolio expansion.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
Krafton reported record Q2 2026 financial results driven by strong PC sales and ongoing PUBG franchise expansion, alongside plans for a mobile edition of Palworld. The company launched Krafton Ad Platform India to manage advertising operations for BGMI and committed an additional $250 million investment in India focused on AI, robotics, and deep tech. Furthermore, Krafton participated in a $13 million Series A funding round for Neon Commerce to expand direct-to-consumer commerce and loyalty infrastructure.
Business model & monetisation
KRAFTON uses a blended premium-access and live-service transaction model. It recognises revenue from rights to access games, paid game sales and recurring in-game-item sales. Free-to-play PUBG titles generate ongoing virtual-item revenue, while premium PC and console titles generate game-access revenue. KRAFTON also earns royalties by licensing its intellectual property to publishing companies.
- In-game item sales in live-service games
- Pay-per-use virtual-item transactions
- Premium game access and game sales
- One-time sale
- Intellectual-property licensing royalties
- Licensing and royalty payments
- BGMI advertising operations through KRAFTON Ad Platform India
- Advertising inventory operations
Products & capabilities
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Game publisher, engine provider and digital games platform operator.
Chinese internet platform spanning social, gaming, media, ads and cloud.
Gaming publisher with major franchises and in-game advertising inventory.
Mobile games publisher monetising free-to-play titles through purchases and ads.
Public gaming group operating free-to-play studios and franchises.
Side-by-side comparisons
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
Netflix developing live-action 'PUBG' series with Donald Glover
Media & Entertainment · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Netflix is developing a live-action adaptation of Krafton's battle royale game PUBG. Emmy winner Donald Glover will write, direct, executive produce, and star in the series, with his brother Stephen Glover attached as writer and executive producer. The project follows lengthy negotiations between Netflix and Krafton. Other executive producers include Michael Schaefer of Neon TV, Fam Udeorji of Gilga, and Krafton's LV3H division executives Taeseok Jang and Sujin Lee. PUBG, first released in 2017, has set seven Guinness World Records. This live-action series is part of Netflix's growing slate of video game adaptations, which includes projects like Assassin's Creed, Gears of War, Diablo, and Crazy Taxi. No release date, episode count, or additional cast has been announced.
- Netflix is developing a live-action adaptation of Krafton's PUBG.
- Donald Glover will write, direct, executive produce, and star in the series.
Garena relaunches Free Fire in India after four-year ban
Gaming · Recorded impact score: 2/5
More than four years after India banned Free Fire over national security concerns, Garena, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Sea, has launched a localized version called Free Fire India on Android and iOS. The new version includes India-specific content, parental controls, playtime limits, and spending caps, with user data hosted on servers in India. The launch comes after Garena postponed the release in September 2023. Free Fire was one of India's most popular mobile games before the ban. Its rival, PUBG Mobile, was banned earlier, boosting Free Fire's popularity. The ban wiped more than $16 billion off Sea's market value in a single day. Free Fire MAX, an enhanced version, remained available. Garena worked with Indian authorities to prepare the launch. India remains a significant market for mobile gaming, with downloads growing 14.2% quarter-over-quarter in Q2 2026.
- Garena launched Free Fire India, a localized version of the battle royale game, on October 28, 2026, after a four-year ban in India.
- The new version includes India-specific content, parental controls, playtime limits, and spending caps.
Glen Schofield on Retirement, Callisto Protocol, and AI
Gaming Industry · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Veteran game developer Glen Schofield discusses his retirement from the industry, the troubled development of The Callisto Protocol, and his views on the current state of AAA games. He criticizes Krafton's decision to release the game early amid COVID, leading to a pared-down vision, and reveals that a sequel pitch was rejected. Schofield also comments on the consolidation of major publishers, the marginalization of creative talent, and the potential of AI, arguing that creative ideas can save more money than AI. He advocates for a return to more modestly budgeted games, citing his experience with Dead Space and Call of Duty.
- Glen Schofield announced his retirement from the games industry during the summer.
- The Callisto Protocol was released in December 2022, months earlier than the promised March 2023 date.
Krafton to Invest Another $250M in India
Investment · Recorded impact score: 3/5
South Korean gaming company Krafton announced plans to invest an additional $250 million in India over the next three to four years, focusing on AI, robotics, and deep tech. This brings its total planned investment in India to over $500 million, separate from a $670 million India-focused growth fund with Naver and Mirae Asset. Krafton has invested in about 18 Indian startups, including Nodwin Gaming, Loco, and Pratilipi, and has navigated regulatory challenges with its BGMI game. The announcement followed a meeting between Krafton chairman Byung Gyu Chang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with discussions on closer cooperation in gaming and technology.
- Krafton plans to invest an additional $250 million in India over the next three to four years.
- This brings Krafton's total planned investment in India to over $500 million.
Krafton Ad Platform India Launches to Expand Neptune AdTech
In-Game Advertising Platform · Recorded impact score: 3/5
Krafton Ad Platform India (KADP India), a subsidiary tied to Neptune after Krafton's 2025 majority acquisition, has launched its advertising-technology business in India. Established in April 2026, KADP India will manage advertising operations for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) — including inventory planning, campaign delivery, optimisation and operational management — initially using Neptune's proprietary ad‑tech platform and a local operations team. BGMI has amassed over 260 million users since its 2021 launch. KADP India plans to expand partnerships with other premium digital media platforms across India.
- Krafton Ad Platform India (KADP India) launched its advertising-technology business in India.
- KADP was established in April 2026 following Krafton's acquisition of a majority stake in Neptune in April 2025.
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Questions about KRAFTON
What is KRAFTON?
KRAFTON is a South Korean public video-game developer and publisher operating a portfolio of studios and game intellectual property, including PUBG.
Who uses KRAFTON?
Consumer players worldwide use KRAFTON's mobile, PC and console games, including PUBG, BGMI, inZOI and Subnautica.
How does KRAFTON make money?
KRAFTON earns game-access revenue, in-game-item sales and royalties from licensing its game intellectual property.
Sources & coverage
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21 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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