KRAFTON’s ‘BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI)’ has become India’s most popular game. Naturally, interest and love for KRAFTON among Indians is rapidly growing, and KRAFTON also considers Indian market special and is sparing no effort in supporting it in many ways.
One of these is KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI), a new program to foster the next generation of game developers in India. Do you expect the next BGMI be crafted through KIGI?
Let’s meet Anuj Sahani of KRAFTON India, who can tell us more about KIGI.
Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself to readers.
Hi, readers to KRAFTON blog. My name is Anuj Sahani, Head of KRAFTON India Incubator Program and works for KRAFTON India Publishing Advisor.
Please introduce KIGI project.
KRAFTON’s objective is to nurture India’s game development landscape through a meaningful incubator initiative. The KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator is tailored to elevate the Indian gaming ecosystem by offering assistance to budding and skilled Indian game developers. This support encompasses mentorship, financial backing, access to essential tools, market insights, guidance on investor relations, and the opportunity to participate in a Demo Day. During this event, developers have the chance to secure funding or secure a publishing agreement, either through KRAFTON or external partners.
Why KRAFTON started KIGI in India?
In the Indian market, there’s no shortage of talent. However, we recognize that the game development industry in India is still in its nascent stages. As a result, there are not many high-quality games from Indian developers yet. We believe that through our Incubation Program, we can provide the necessary support to nurture Indian talent. This support will ultimately lead to the emergence of more high-quality games and gaming startups from India.
What is KRAFTON’s commitment to Indian game market?
KRAFTON, one of the country’s largest gaming companies, is committed to enhancing the start-up ecosystem in India, with its investment journey in the country beginning in 2021 So far, the company has invested over $171 million in several Indian startups and funds in the field of interactive entertainment, gaming, Esports and technology. The company is currently invested in several startups in India. Namely (as of February 2024);
| Date | Company | Category |
| 2020.05 | Lumikai Fund | VC funds for gaming |
| 2021.03 | NODWIN Gaming | Esports |
| 2021.06 | Loco Interactive Pte Ltd | Game streaming platform |
| 2021.08 | Pratilipi | Indian language storytelling platform |
| 2022.01 | 3one4 Capital | Funds for startups |
| 2022.01 | FRND | Audio dating platform |
| 2022.02 | Nautilus Mobile | Mobile game development studios |
| 2022.03 | KukuFM | Audio content platform |
| 2022.04 | LILA Games | Mobile game development studios |
| 2022.08 | FanTiger | Music NFT marketplace |
| 2022.08 | GGX (Good Game Exchange) | In-game NFT exchange, Blockchain for Web 3.0 games |
| 2023.03 | One Impression | Influencer marketing platform |
| 2023.04 | Bobble AI | AI conversation platform |
Going forward KRAFTON aims to continue this investment momentum and invest $150M in these segments over the next couple of years.
What kind of supports will participants to KIGI get?
Participants will get following support – Access to mentors from KRAFTON global studios, financial support unto USD 150,000, Access to tools and Market Research, guidance on investors relations, participation in Demo day through which startups get a chance to secure funding or secure a publishing agreement, either through KRAFTON or external partners.
Please tell us about the shortlisted two companies which would be the first cohorts to KIGI?
- ReDimension Games, led by CEO, Pekrukhrietuo Pienyu, is developing “Sojourn Past,” a compelling action-adventure game set for a 2024 release on Windows and consoles. Based in Kohima, Nagaland, the team’s game promises an engaging mix of action, exploration, and narrative depth, in a game world filled with beautiful pixel art and emotive music. Team is based in Nagaland from where we dont see lot of game developers and we are proud to identify such talent and support them.
- Shura Games, headquartered in Bangalore and spearheaded by its CEO, Shubham Bengale, introduces “Spice Secrets,” a mobile game that blends culinary adventures with puzzle challenges, aiming to captivate a broad audience. Along with an amazing match 3 experience users across the globe will also learn about Indian Spices.
How do you evaluate the level of game development in India?
The Indian gaming industry has been experiencing rapid growth, driven by factors such as increasing smartphone penetration, internet connectivity, and a young demographic. However, compared to mature markets like the US and Korea, India’s gaming industry is still relatively newer.
Do you think KIGI will make a great contribution to Indian game market?
Certainly, we believe that KIGI has the potential to significantly enhance the Indian game development market. In addition to the first cohorts, we plan to select several additional companies within this year, and we are also preparing a support program in a new format to contact and support more developers in India. With India showcasing remarkable talent alongside identified gaps, we are confident in our ability to address these gaps and elevate the game development ecosystem across the nation.
Mordor Intelligence, a market research firm, predicted that the size of Indian gaming market is estimated at USD 3.49 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 7.24 billion by 2029. KRAFTON discovered the hidden potential of the Indian gaming market early on and began investing and training talents. We look forward to KIGI becoming a new catalyst for growth in the Indian gaming market!