“Cricketing Delight: Krafton Ventures into India’s Gaming Market with Nautilus Acquisition”
Krafton, the renowned gaming giant from South Korea behind popular titles like PUBG: Battlegrounds and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has recently made waves by acquiring a controlling stake in the 12-year-old Indian gaming studio, Nautilus Mobile, for a whopping $14 million in an all-cash deal.
This acquisition marks a strategic move by Krafton to further expand its presence in India’s burgeoning gaming industry, particularly focusing on the cricket enthusiast market. Nautilus, known for its Real Cricket franchise, has secured millions of downloads with its cricket-centric mobile games, making it a valuable addition to Krafton’s gaming portfolio.
Despite the acquisition, Nautilus Mobile will continue to operate independently, with all 45 employees remaining on board. Krafton plans to leverage Nautilus’ expertise in mobile cricket games to strengthen its gaming offerings in India and beyond. The company aims to enhance Nautilus’ existing titles while exploring new genres to cater to a global audience.
With India’s mobile gaming market on a steady rise, driven by a growing base of young smartphone users, Krafton sees immense potential in the country. While Krafton’s success in India has largely been attributed to BGMI, the company aims to diversify its offerings by tapping into the popularity of cricket and other sports games through the Nautilus acquisition.
By gaining a controlling stake in Nautilus, Krafton intends to deepen its collaboration with the studio, focusing on core development efforts to unlock new opportunities in the gaming market. This strategic move aligns with Krafton’s vision to expand its reach beyond BGMI and explore new avenues for growth in the ever-evolving gaming landscape.
As Krafton embarks on this new chapter with Nautilus, the company remains committed to fostering innovation, driving revenue growth, and expanding its user base in India and beyond. The acquisition of Nautilus Mobile is a testament to Krafton’s proactive approach towards forging alliances and solidifying its presence in key markets, paving the way for exciting developments in the world of gaming.
