Krafton India Investment: Rs 1,800 Crore Commitment Signals Gaming Boom
- Saswata Mondal
- Dec 8, 2025
- 2 min read
Unlock Krafton India investment details: Korean giant commits Rs 1,800 crore over 3-4 years for acquisitions, esports, and global devs, despite RMG bans!
Image Credit: Krafton India
Krafton, the Korean powerhouse behind Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is set to pump Rs 1,800 crore ($200 million) into India over the next 3-4 years despite the real-money gaming (RMG) ban.
MD Sean Hyunil Sohn confirmed the plan, eyeing acquisitions, expansion, and global game development from Bangalore, no impact from regulations, as esports gets a boost.
This Krafton India investment follows $200 million already spent across 17 startups like PoketFM, Loco, NODWIN etc, positioning India as a top-5 revenue market.
Krafton India Investment Plan: Rs 1,800 Crore Breakdown
Sohn revealed the strategy in a Times of India interview: ~Rs 450 crore annually for structured growth.
Key Allocation:
Category | Allocation (Approx. Rs Crore) | Key Initiatives | Expected Impact |
Acquisitions | 900 (50%) | Digital startups in AI, fintech, media | Scaling BGMI tech; e.g., past Cashfree Payments stake |
Business Expansion | 540 (30%) | Esports events, ops growth | International championships in India; hiring 200+ devs |
Game Development | 360 (20%) | Global IPs from Bangalore studios | Outsourcing partners; new titles beyond PUBG |
Sohn said: "Market more mature... companies using AI to scale."
Past Krafton India Investment: $200M in 17 Ventures
Krafton entered India in 2020, building a portfolio amid BGMI's 230M+ downloads.
Major Past Investments (Bullet Highlights):
Nautilus Mobile (Mar 2025): 75% stake (Rs 118 Cr) for Real Cricket
Kuku FM: Audio platform
Shuru: Hyperlocal app
Cashfree Payments: Fintech gateway
Others: Nodwin Gaming (esports), Loco (streaming), 12+ more/funds
Total pre-2026: $200M; new push doubles commitment.
Why Now? RMG Ban No Deterrent
India's RMG ban, effective October 2025, wiped $500 million in projected revenue for operators like Krafton, per KPMG estimates, prompting a shift to ad-based models. Visa delays for events and talent poaching by global firms add friction, but Bangalore's 10,000+ gaming jobs (NASSCOM data) make it a magnet. With 568 million internet users (TRAI 2025), Krafton eyes untapped Tier-2/3 markets via affordable data plans.
India's 900M+ digital users (65% under 35) fuel appeal - top-5 revenue for Krafton.
RMG Ban Impact: "Insulated... positive for esports structure," per Sohn
Esports Push: Govt promotion aligns; Krafton runs global events
Bangalore Hub: Global games via hires/partners
This Krafton India investment eyes $8B+ lifetime BGMI potential amid $3B+ market growth.
Key Citations:
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