Krafton Expands India Gaming Incubator with Cohort 3, Direct User Acquisition Support, and First PC Title Launch
When Krafton launched its India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) in 2023, the program was structured around a straightforward value proposition: financial assistance and mentorship from experienced game developers. Over two cohorts, 10 studios received funding and guidance, but a critical gap became apparent.
“Post second cohort, we saw there are gaps when it comes to acquiring users,” said Anuj Sahani, Head of KIGI and Director of Publishing at Krafton India. “The gap comes down to acquiring users and marketing the game” .
Those learnings have now translated into a significant strategic shift. On April 17, 2026, Krafton India announced the third cohort of KIGI, introducing a new model where the gaming giant will directly manage user acquisition and performance marketing for selected studios—addressing what founders consistently identified as their biggest hurdle .
Cohort 3: Four Studios, Diverse Genres, One Mission
The third cohort received over 900 applications from across the country, a sharp increase from 345 in the first cohort, reflecting growing confidence among Indian developers in structured, long-term support . Four studios were ultimately selected, spanning genres from narrative-driven Metroidvania to high-intensity mobile shooters:
| Studio | Location | Game | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xod Games Studio | Jaipur, Rajasthan | Peaky Circus | Narrative-driven Metroidvania |
| EvolX Games | Bengaluru, Karnataka | Ludaro | Roguelike deck-building dice game with Ludo twist |
| Ether Games | Kochi, Kerala | Battlefront | High-intensity mobile shooter |
| RedDevil Studio | Hyderabad, Telangana | Rooster Rumble | Mobile PvP rooster fighting brawler |
Each selected team will receive milestone-based financial assistance ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, along with 6–12 months of mentorship from Krafton’s global network of game development experts .
The Strategic Shift: Krafton Takes Over User Acquisition
What sets Cohort 3 apart is not just the funding—it’s the hands-on execution support. Krafton India will now directly run performance marketing campaigns during soft launches, backed by a separate budget .
“From the third cohort, we’ll also start with the code reviews. We will review the codebase and make sure that the code is expandable,” Sahani explained . This dual approach—code quality assurance and user acquisition—addresses the two most common failure points for early-stage game studios.
New Support Elements in Cohort 3:
| Support Area | What’s New |
|---|---|
| Performance Marketing | Krafton directly runs campaigns during soft launches with dedicated budget |
| Code Reviews | Regular technical audits to ensure scalability and bug-free builds |
| Functional Experts | Dedicated specialists in game design, monetisation, and live operations |
| Partner Tools | Access to Google Cloud, AWS, AccelByte, GameRefinery, AppMagic, Lysto, Liquid and Grit, GameRamp |
The program has also onboarded new strategic partners, including Liquid and Grit and GameRamp, alongside existing collaborators such as Google Cloud, AWS, and AccelByte, providing studios with a comprehensive toolkit for building, testing, and scaling games .
A Milestone Moment: First PC Game Emerges from KIGI
Beyond the new cohort, Krafton marked another significant milestone: the upcoming launch of Frontier Paladin, the first PC game to emerge from the incubator, set for release on April 24, 2026 .
Developed by Mumbai-based studio Singular Scheme, Frontier Paladin is a single-player action RPG that combines skill-based melee combat with tower defense mechanics. Players take on the role of Titus, a Paladin navigating a cursed battlefield while defending their Order’s fortress through strategic trap placement, AI-led allies, and evolving character builds .
The game has already received recognition through awards at the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) in both 2024 and 2025. Its development journey spanned four years of iteration, with the team refining combat feel and redesigning progression systems to balance RPG depth with strategic defense .
Ahad Oomerbhoy, Founder of Singular Scheme, reflected on the journey: “Building this game demanded patience, experimentation, and the willingness to rethink major systems until they felt right. What sets it apart is that hybrid experience—a deliberate paced action RPG that seamlessly transforms into tactical tower defense. We hope our journey is one of the first; that many other Indian studios will make similar journeys regarding ambitious, premium PC games being built locally for a global stage” .
The Bigger Picture: From Localisation to Ownership
Krafton’s deepening commitment to India extends well beyond the incubator. Since 2021, the company has invested over $250 million in Indian startups across interactive entertainment, gaming, esports, and technology .
The acquisition of a controlling stake in Nautilus Mobile, the studio behind the Real Cricket franchise, for ₹118 crore, represents a strategic pivot from localisation to ownership of Indian intellectual property. Unlike BGMI, which was developed outside India and later localised, Real Cricket is built by an Indian studio and is now being positioned for global growth .
Krafton India’s Ecosystem Investments:
| Initiative | Scale/Impact |
|---|---|
| Total India Investment (since 2021) | $250 million+ |
| KIGI Studios Supported | 10 (Cohorts 1-2) + 4 (Cohort 3) |
| KIGI Financial Deployment | ~$1.5 million (cumulative) |
| Esports Prize Money (since 2023) | INR 20+ crore |
| BGMI Downloads | 260 million+ |
| BGMI Esports Views (2025) | 930+ million |
The esports vertical has also seen explosive growth. In 2025, total BGMI esports viewership tripled to 930+ million—a 201% increase in a single year . The Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) 2026 crossed 600,000 peak concurrent viewers on YouTube, with 360+ million total views, making it the most-watched mobile esports event in Indian history .
What This Means for India’s Gaming Ecosystem
Krafton’s expanded incubator model carries several important signals for Indian game developers:
1. Execution Support Matters as Much as Capital
Funding alone is not enough. The most successful programs will combine financial assistance with hands-on help in user acquisition, code quality, and market positioning—areas where early-stage studios typically lack expertise.
2. PC Gaming Is Part of the India Story
Frontier Paladin’s upcoming launch demonstrates that Indian developers can build premium PC titles for global audiences, not just mobile games for the domestic market.
3. Geographic Diversity Is Accelerating
The Cohort 3 studios hail from Jaipur, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Hyderabad—demonstrating that game development talent is distributed across the country, not concentrated in a single hub.
4. Long-Term Commitment Builds Confidence
Krafton has now run three cohorts, invested over $1.5 million directly through KIGI, and backed studios through technical and marketing support. This sustained commitment signals to Indian developers that the company is serious about building a local ecosystem, not just extracting value.
5. The Equity Question
Krafton does not take upfront equity in the studios it supports. “Only once the team starts generating certain revenue, then they can give back the money to us, or if Krafton does an investment, we can discount the amount,” Sahani explained . This founder-friendly model reduces the pressure on early-stage studios and aligns incentives around success rather than survival.
The Road Ahead: From Incubation to Global Publishing
With the third cohort now underway and Frontier Paladin launching on April 24, Krafton India is executing a multi-pronged strategy:
- Incubation: Supporting emerging studios with funding, mentorship, and now direct user acquisition support
- Publishing: Launching 3–5 new titles in 2026, including both internally developed games and third-party publishing
- IP Ownership: Acquiring and scaling Indian intellectual property, beginning with Real Cricket
- Esports Infrastructure: Building structured competitive pathways through BGIS, BMPS, and the Rising Star program
Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India, captured the ambition: “India is seeing strong momentum in game development, with more creators building for global audiences. Through KIGI, we aim to support this growth by enabling studios with the right resources and guidance” .
The Final Word
Krafton’s expansion of its India Gaming Incubator represents a significant evolution in how global gaming companies engage with Indian developers. The shift from passive mentorship to active execution support—directly managing user acquisition, reviewing codebases, and providing dedicated functional experts—addresses the specific gaps that have historically held Indian studios back.
With 900+ applications for the third cohort, up from 345 in the first, the demand for structured, long-term support is clear. The launch of Frontier Paladin, the first PC game to emerge from KIGI, provides a proof point that Indian developers can build premium titles for global audiences.
As Krafton continues to invest—over $250 million since 2021—and as more studios move from incubation to launch, the foundation for a globally competitive Indian game development ecosystem is being laid. The third cohort is not an endpoint; it is a milestone in a longer journey.
