The South Korean gaming powerhouse Krafton, the developer of the renowned multi-player battle royale game PUBG, is making India the core of its developing markets strategy. According to a report on ET, the company has committed to investing more than $100 million in the startup ecosystem in India. In the last 10 months, the company has announced six deals totaling about $86 million across segments. It intends to duplicate its India strategy in other emerging markets.
Also read: BGMI competitor Garena Free Fire banned in India
“Emerging markets have their own flavour for media and entertainment, and you can’t typecast it. We feel Indian IP is going to be super important, not just in India but also globally in the next five to six years,” Anuj Tandon, head, corporate development, India and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Krafton.
The Company has released an Indian customised version of PUBG – Battlefields Mobile India in 2021. Rather than fastening to a specific investment category, Krafton is assessing prospects at various stages, with investments ranging from seed rounds to a $48 million investment in Pratilipi. “We have been relatively aggressive on the investment eventuality and veritably conscious with our plan,” Tandon said to ET.
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In addition, Krafton has established a network of gaming and entertainment workrooms and businesses. All throughout the globe “We’re one of the most active gaming druggies in India,” he remarked.
Krafton’s BGMI faces a case in Telangana High Court
Last year, the South Korean video game developer launched a ‘Game Responsibly’ campaign for BGMI. The campaign encourages gamers to take a pledge of taking care of themselves and their squad mates’ mental health as they play on the Battlegrounds. The campaign promotes safer and responsible gaming habits and aims to build awareness amongst players to cultivate safer and healthy gaming habits.
A public interest litigation has been filed in the Telangana High Court seeking permanent prohibition of BGMI in India. The case sought the issuance of a writ of Mandamus directing to prohibit both computer and mobile versions of BGMI. The plea also sought directions from the central government and Telangana government to establish an online games safety rating agency and to frame rules to regulate the online games in order to screen them to prevent adverse impacts on social health. While the plea prays for banning the desktop version, there is no desktop version of BGMI!