BGMI passes its trial period, game developer Krafton commits to invest $150 million in India

In a news that would overjoy Indian mobile gamers, Krafton’s BGMI, the Indianised version of the popular game PUBG Mobile, has cleared its trial period and will be allowed to continue in India.

South Korean gaming company Krafton, the developers behind BGMI, is planning to invest an additional $150 million in India over the next 2-3 years.

This investment is seen as a boost to the local gaming ecosystem, particularly after the company recently received permission a couple of months ago to trial its popular battle royale game in the Indian market following two previous bans.

Krafton’s investments in India’s gaming sector
Krafton had previously invested about $140 million in 11 Indian startups and the local gaming ecosystem over the last three years. The new $150 million investment will be used to support gaming and entertainment startups.

Krafton expressed satisfaction with the performance of its existing portfolio startups in India, with many of them experiencing revenue growth and securing subsequent funding rounds.

Krafton’s game “BGMI” or Battlegrounds Mobile India had been granted approval to operate in India, almost a year after its predecessor PUBG Mobile was banned due to national security concerns. Krafton made several changes to address the Indian authorities’ concerns, such as ending its partnership with Tencent and switching to Microsoft’s Azure for servers in India.

India’s growing eSports scene
The new investment announcement is significant for India’s gaming ecosystem, as Krafton’s game is immensely popular in the country and a central part of its eSports scene. With India aiming to attract more investors in the gaming sector, Krafton’s continued support is expected to have a positive impact on the industry.

Krafton India’s CEO, Sean Hyunil Sohn, stated that they believe in the potential of Indian IPs and content to have a global impact, and they are excited to contribute to India’s growth as a global gaming powerhouse.

Krafton’s popular titles, PUBG and its revamped Indian version BGMI, continue to be among the most well-received games in its portfolio. India remains a significant market for these mobile battle royale games.

Krafton’s BGMI a big hit in India
BGMI, which was relaunched in India, has gained approximately 30 million monthly active users in less than three months, according to mobile intelligence firm SensorTower. The game is also starting to generate revenue, as stated by Krafton in an earnings call.

Krafton emphasized that its commitment to investment and support for the local ecosystem is independent of the conditions set by the Indian authorities.

The company clarified that it will continue to invest in and support Indian startups and the gaming ecosystem, regardless of any external factors. “Krafton has already invested nearly $140 million since 2021 in the Indian startup ecosystem. The company sees India as a crucial growth engine globally and plans to sustain its commitment to the country’s gaming industry,” the company said.