KRAFTON India CEO Expects Gaming Market to Grow, Plans Investment and Acquisitions

South Korean gaming behemoth KRAFTON, the creator of popular esports title Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is actively seeking to invest and acquire in India, which is one of its top five global markets, with a mobile-first gaming culture, rapid smartphone adoption, and a young, tech-savvy population driving prospects for steady growth in online gaming. Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of KRAFTON India, believes the gaming business in India will grow significantly and has stated that the company would not be bound by fixed investment boundaries in this "promising" sector. KRAFTON has already invested $200 million in the country.

Reflecting on India's regulatory landscape and historical hurdles for KRAFTON, he emphasized the company's good regulatory outlook.

Sean stated that India's approach to norms is based on specified protocols, constructive input, and a calibrated approach prior to the implementation of rules.

"We want to double down on gaming and its addressable market because we feel it is time for the gaming sector to grow significantly and impactfully. And we see far greater potential over the next 2-3 years," he told PTI.

Although the company does not publish country-specific income, he stated that India is one of KRAFTON's top five nations in terms of revenue and user base. Furthermore, sustained growth estimates for the Indian economy and rising smartphone penetration are contributing to the company's good outlook.

Despite the growing popularity of gaming and esports, the Indian market remains relatively tiny in comparison to foreign markets.

"In terms of size or development stage, I believe the industry is still in its early stages or is relatively modest in comparison to global gaming markets. However, I believe India has a unique position because it is a mobile gaming native country. Other countries that are more mature have already gone down the path of consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. But in India, gamers began playing games on mobile devices, which is a very distinct difference," he added, adding that the industry's future is "extremely good."

"KRAFTON had a successful financial year in 2024. So, I believe we have greater capacity to spend in India, which is one of the company's top performing markets. We will not cease investing... perhaps, $200-300 million. We have spent USD 200 million thus far, but I believe we are still actively looking for chances to invest and possibly acquire, if there is an appealing company to acquire and collaborate with. We are very active," he explained.

According to the company, despite its position as a global game publisher, KRAFTON retains a game developer philosophy.

"Of course, we are now worldwide game publishers, which means we have a global publishing capacity. We wish to collaborate with someone who is really enthusiastic about game creation and working in the gaming industry. That is the most important criterion if we want to hire someone in the gaming sector," he added, adding that those who make the cut must also be "enthusiastic and passionate" about the potential of the Indian gaming industry.