KRAFTON launches inaugural cohort under gaming incubator

South Korean game developer Krafton's India arm, KRAFTON India, has launched its inaugural cohort under KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI).

The incubator aims to give local talent in India mentorship and guidance, and help to build quality game titles.

Under KIGI, the company has incubated two companies till now, Anuj Sahani, Head of KRAFTON Incubator Programme and Advisor for India Publishing Department, KRAFTON India, told YourStory. They are Nagaland-based ReDimmension Games and Bengaluru-based Shura Games.

There are plans to launch a larger second cohort, said Sahani, adding that the company is still receiving applications which are being reviewed.

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Companies incubated under KIGI will receive mentoring for six months to a year and a grant ranging between $50,000 and $150,000, KRAFTON said in a statement.

"We have a pool of mentors from global studios ... KRAFTON's global studios, which include [South] Korea, US, Europe, will help the teams understand what the global standards are," said Sahani.

"Since the gaming industry [in India] is still maturing, we feel that, with this incubation programme, we will be able to uplift the overall ecosystem and bring out...several successful games from India. In the least, the teams that are part of this incubator will be able to understand the overall development process," he added.

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What sets KIGI apart

Of late, several Indian startups have launched incubator programmes. For instance, Sony launched its India Hero Project incubator in May last year.

KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator was launched in October last year. According to Sahani, KRAFTON's four-year presence in India has helped it shape its current programme immensely.

"We have launched several successful global products and we have a great pool of mentors who actually know how to get this done," he said.

KRAFTON has made its presence known not just as a game publisher but also as an investor backing several early-stage companies. In 2023, it announced a $150-million commitment to invest in Indian gaming startups. It has funded startups such as Nodwin Gaming, Pratilipi, Kuku FM, and Loco.

When it comes to backing companies, Sahani said there are no limitations in terms of platform (mobile, PC, or console) or type of game with the exception of real-money gaming and betting.

The only major requirement is that the company must be registered in India.

To date, KIGI has received about 200 applications.

Sahani observed that developers are now making bigger bets on developing PC and console titles besides mobile games, which wasn't the case five years ago.

"They [PC/console game developers] will require bigger budgets and bigger timelines ... But at least now developers are wanting to make bigger bets," he said.

What lies ahead?

On February 27, KRAFTON launched its first game designed for the Indian audience—Garuda Saga. The game has opened to largely positive reviews, said Sahani.

"It's an RPG (roleplaying game); so (it's) not everybody's cup of tea, but those who like this type of game are loving it," he added.

The company has plans for a few more launches this year.