 |
Photo = Krafton |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] presence, new game launches, and growth in India. With PUBG's developer and intellectual property (IP) owner, PUBG Studio, it is projected that operating profits of over 1 trillion KRW could be achieved next year. Krafton remains our top pick among gaming stocks."
The growth of PUBG continues across all platforms. On PC, traffic consistently exceeds 700,000 users, an increase of about 200,000 compared to the beginning of the year. On mobile, the game has expanded its traffic beyond developed countries into markets like Turkey and Saudi Arabia since last year, solidifying its position as a global brand. Despite being a relatively older game, it is still monetizing successfully in newly acquired markets.
Since its IPO in 2021, Krafton has faced lackluster performance with its in-house game releases and entered a two-year gap in new titles since last year. To expedite the release of new games, the company has pursued second-party publishing (2PP) deals and minority equity investments. Consequently, six new games are expected to launch next year.
Krafton is also strengthening its presence in India. Since resuming service of BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) last year, the company has been actively pursuing publishing activities in the country. This year, it launched games such as Bullet Echo (shooter) and Cookie Run (action running). Unlike the saturated global market, India presents significant growth potential, with local gaming companies facing challenges in technology and funding, making the market particularly attractive for global game developers.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
