Gaming
South Korean gaming titan Krafton guns for India’s lucrative market: PTI report
MUMBAI: South Korean gaming powerhouse Krafton, creator of the wildly popular Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is loading up its investment arsenal as it targets expansion in India—a territory that ranks among its top five global markets. The company has already pumped $200 million into Indian ventures and isn’t about to hit pause on its spending spree anytime soon.
Krafton India chief executive Sean Hyunil Sohn is positively bullish about the country’s gaming prospects. “We want to double down on gaming and its addressable area,” Sohn told PTI, adding that the company sees “much bigger potential for the next two to three years.”
What makes India such an irresistible playground for Krafton? The answer lies in its unique “mobile gaming native” status. While gamers in mature markets typically evolved from consoles to PCs before embracing mobile, Indian players cut their teeth directly on smartphones—a distinction that has Krafton’s boardroom salivating.
The demographics certainly stack the deck in India’s favour. A young, tech-savvy population coupled with rapidly increasing smartphone adoption creates the perfect storm for gaming growth. Despite being a relative lightweight on the global gaming scene, India’s potential has Krafton ready to place hefty bets on its future.
“We will not stop investing… say at $200-300 million,” Sohn declared. “We are still actively looking at opportunities to invest and maybe acquire.”
After a cracking financial performance in 2024, the company feels flush enough to double down on India, which it views as one of its strongest performing markets.
What’s Krafton looking for in potential partners?
The company, which prides itself on maintaining a developer’s mindset despite its global publisher status, seeks collaborators who are “really passionate about game development.” Any acquisition targets must share Krafton’s enthusiasm for India’s gaming potential.
Sohn believes India has the muscle to create games for global markets but laments the lack of awareness about gaming as a viable career path.
“We need support from the government and education institutions to put the best talent out for the younger generation,” he urged, calling for a concerted effort to level up India’s gaming ecosystem.
With its mobile-first culture, youthful demographics, and Krafton’s deep pockets backing it, India’s gaming industry appears primed to score big in the coming years. Game on!
Gaming
Nodwin Gaming partners with Runestone for esports data and integrity solutions
South Asian esports leader joins forces with Czech tech firm to enhance tournament operations.
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has just levelled up its game by bringing in a specialist to keep the scoreboard honest and the fans fully engaged. The leading South Asian esports and gaming company has announced a strategic partnership with Runestone, a Prague-headquartered esports technology firm specialising in real-time data and engagement solutions for tournament organisers and publishers.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitive integrity, improve operational oversight, and deliver more interactive viewing experiences across Nodwin’s properties. It will initially focus on the Nodwin Clutch Series for Counter-Strike 2, a Tier 2 tournament that provides emerging teams with consistent competitive opportunities and helps build the talent pipeline.
The latest edition of the series recently concluded with Big defeating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online event.
Nodwin Gaming chief business officer at MENA and global head of data monetization Teemu Koski said, “Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs.”
Runestone head of partnerships Michael Schwartz added, “Nodwin Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets. We’re thrilled to collaborate on supporting tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable tools.”
Both companies are exploring opportunities to extend the partnership across additional titles, including mobile-first competitive ecosystems, and to develop new products for publishers, tournament operators, and event promoters.
In the rapidly growing world of esports, where fair play and fan excitement are equally crucial, Nodwin Gaming and Runestone are teaming up to ensure every match is not only competitive but also transparent and engaging. This alliance could well become a game-changer for Tier 2 tournaments across South Asia and beyond.
