PUBG developer Krafton plans to invest $250M in India over three to four years, for a total investment of $500M+ since 2021, as it expands into AI and robotics
Krafton, the South Korean gaming company behind titles including PUBG and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), plans …
Context & Ripple Effects
Krafton’s India strategy began with the 2021 return of Battlegrounds Mobile India to Google Play and shifted toward corporate expansion in 2025, when it outlined at least $50 million a year for the market while seeking acquisitions. Its majority purchase of Pune-based Nautilus Mobile made that acquisition strategy tangible.
The new commitment broadens the India program beyond game publishing and studios into AI and robotics, taking Krafton’s stated investment since 2021 above $500 million.
First-order effects
- Krafton will allocate a further $250 million in India over three to four years, giving Indian AI and robotics ventures a prospective strategic investor alongside the company’s gaming investments.
- Krafton’s Indian operating footprint expands from BGMI distribution and game-studio ownership toward technology investments outside its core titles.
Second-order effects
- Indian AI and robotics companies pursuing capital will face a better-funded prospective buyer whose investment horizon is tied to a broader India expansion, rather than a single game-studio transaction.
- Krafton’s acquisition search gains a larger capital base after its Nautilus Mobile deal, increasing the scope for India investments that combine game development with adjacent technology capabilities.
Third-order effects
- If other game publishers follow Krafton’s approach, India may attract more strategic capital from entertainment companies seeking both game studios and AI-enabled technology assets.
- The move points to a widening model in which publishers use regional investment programs to diversify beyond game releases, making corporate venture activity a more important route to market presence.
The trend: Game publishers are increasingly using India investment programs to pair game-market expansion with stakes in AI and other adjacent technologies.