Krafton commits additional $250 million to expand AI and gaming ventures in India
Krafton announced a further $250 million investment in India over the next three to four years, raising its total planned spending in the country to over $500 million.
Krafton, the developer behind PUBG and its Indian adaptation BGMI, disclosed a fresh $250 million commitment to India that will be deployed over three to four years, raising its cumulative planned investment in the country to beyond $500 million. The money will target artificial-intelligence, robotics and other deep-technology fields and is distinct from a $670 million India-focused growth fund launched with Naver and Mirae Asset, to which Krafton contributed roughly $137 million at the first close.
India’s massive internet and smartphone user base makes it a key market; BGMI alone has surpassed 260 million downloads despite earlier bans that forced Krafton to replace Tencent as publisher and shift servers to Microsoft Azure. The company intends to release a BGMI Lite version by late 2026 and has already invested in about 18 Indian startups such as Nodwin Gaming, Loco, Pratilipi, Kuku FM and One Impression. Recent talks between Krafton chairman Byung Gyu Chang and Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted prospects for deeper cooperation in gaming and emerging technologies. Krafton also expanded its local footprint by acquiring Pune-based Nautilus Mobile and launching the KIGI Academy to train game-development talent.
Why it matters
The investment deepens a major game publisher's role in India's tech ecosystem, affecting jobs and digital innovation.
In this story
