Krafton's Acquisition of Nautilus Mobile

Krafton, the South Korean gaming company behind PUBG: Battlegrounds and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has acquired a controlling stake in Nautilus Mobile, an Indian gaming studio, for $14 million. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the month, with Nautilus Mobile's 45 employees remaining on the payroll.

Nautilus Mobile is popular for its Real Cricket franchise, which has garnered millions of downloads. The studio will continue to operate independently, with Krafton aiming to strengthen its core competence in mobile cricket games. Krafton plans to refine Nautilus Mobile's existing titles in the short term and explore new genres in the long term.

The acquisition is part of Krafton's strategy to expand its presence in the Indian gaming market. India's mobile gaming market is growing steadily, driven by a large base of young smartphone users. Krafton sees India as a promising and key market to continue its success, with the company having already invested over $200 million in the country.

The deal could help Krafton move beyond its flagship title, BGMI, and explore new avenues of success, including cricket and other sports games, to attract new gamers. Nautilus Mobile will join the 14 other game studios Krafton operates in markets around the world.