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Tag: Krafton

  • Defense Derby’s June update introduces new martial tiger unit

    Defense Derby’s June update introduces new martial tiger unit

    Mumbai: RisingWings, a creative studio of KRAFTON, Inc., has unveiled its June update for the popular real-time PvP tower defense mobile game, Defense Derby.

    Introducing the martial tiger

    This update introduces the martial tiger, a new physical-type unit from the beast faction. Martial tiger is a close-range area damage dealer with two special abilities called taeguk and roar of the lion. With taeguk, the critical damage increases, and upon reaching a certain level, it unleashes the Roar of the Lion, terrifying all monsters in the player’s lane for 1.5 seconds with a mighty roar, and resetting the accumulated critical damage. Martial Tiger can be acquired through the Martial Tiger Event, Featured Summon, and Step Up Pack. Players can try out the new unit through the Derby Brawl – Martial Tiger Mirror Match, available from 1 to 3 June, and earn Beast Crystals based on their ranking.

    Hammer sprite

    In June, players will encounter a new unit along with the A Powerful Blow season. Coming 13 June, players can anticipate the arrival of the Hammer Sprite, a new physical-type unit from the spirit faction. The Hammer Sprite possesses a special ability called Gold Appears, which boosts the attack power and attack speed of herself and the hero at the start of each wave. She is particularly effective at clearing waves quickly, making it recommended to place her near the front of the castle. The Derby Brawl – Hammer Sprite Mirror Match, featuring this new unit, will be available from 15 to 17 June.

    Special events – gems, crystals, and valentine’s fun

    1 Duo play event: Available until 27 June, this is an event where players complete missions by playing the two-player cooperative mode, duo mode. Depending on the completed missions, players can earn various rewards such as the mirage of the desert, harun palace castle skin, duo entries, gems, elixir, and featured summon tickets.

    2 Returning guardian missions: This event is designed for players who log into the game after a long absence, allowing them to complete missions to earn eternal hearts, which can be exchanged for rewards like miraculous summon tickets, legendary unit selections, and gold.

  • S8UL partners with KRAFTON for official launch of Bullet Echo India

    S8UL partners with KRAFTON for official launch of Bullet Echo India

    Mumbai: S8UL, an esports organisation has partnered with KRAFTON, the creators of the popular battle royale game – Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), for the official launch of their latest game, Bullet Echo India.

    Bullet Echo India is a multiplayer PvP tactical top-down shooter game, that invites players to form teams, devise strategies, and engage in adrenaline-fueled battles to emerge as the last team standing, similar to a battle royale.

    S8UL’s lineup of renowned creators, including Mortal, Scout, Regaltos, Snax, JokerKiHaveli, PayalGaming, KaashPlays, and others, will create engaging content for their YouTube audiences during the official launch of Bullet Echo India. This collab is a mark of how S8UL and KRAFTON are always working together for bringing more life to the gaming experience in India. They had also collaborated for the launch of ‘Road to Valor : Empires’ early last year.

    S8UL co-founder Lokesh Jain aka 8Bit Goldy, expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “We are delighted to partner with KRAFTON for the launch of Bullet Echo India, as this gives us another chance to bring new & enriching gaming experience to the community. With KRAFTON’s expertise and our deep understanding of the Indian gaming community, we are confident that Bullet Echo India will excite players across the country. I also look forward to it opening new avenues for esports athletes trying to make a mark in the competitive landscape”.

    This partnership will enable KRAFTON to leverage the widespread, passionate fanbase, as well as the unique content of the organizations’ popular creators, to attract users across all demographics to the game.

    Developed by KRAFTON in collaboration with ZeptoLab, Bullet Echo India is designed to captivate the Indian gaming community. Since its soft launch on 4 April, the game has rapidly ascended to the top of the charts on the Google Play Store, showcasing its immense popularity among Indian gamers.

    “We are excited to join forces with S8UL for our Bullet Echo India. S8UL’s innovative approach has consistently set them apart, and their synergy is perfectly aligned with KRAFTON to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience that fans have been eagerly anticipating,” said India publishing advisor and KRAFTON India incubator programme head Anuj Sahani.

    “The partnership between S8UL and KRAFTON for Bullet Echo India showcases our credibility and equity in the industry. As a player, I am particularly excited about the prospect of introducing Indian gamers to a unique gaming experience, offering a perfect blend of strategic gameplay and action-packed battles. I believe it is a must-play title for every gaming enthusiast and will make a significant impact in the Indian gaming market,” commented Tanmay Singh aka ScoutOP, an ex-Esports athlete who is currently a gaming creator of S8UL.

    With S8UL’s co-founder Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug), alongside its creators PayalGaming, and Mortal recently engaging in a groundbreaking discussion with the honorable Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, about the Esports industry, the organization continues to make waves for the development of the community. Their partnership with KRAFTON serves as a testament to their efforts to propel the growth of the Esports sector in India.

    According to the FICCI-EY report titled ‘#Reinvent: India’s media & entertainment sector is innovating for the future,’ shooting games hold a prominent position in India, generating substantial in-app purchase revenues. Also, the rising popularity of gaming influencers has contributed to the expansion of the gaming ecosystem, attracting new cohorts of players.

  • KRAFTON signs MoU with Gujarat government to boost esports and gaming ecosystem

    KRAFTON signs MoU with Gujarat government to boost esports and gaming ecosystem

    Mumbai: In a significant development for the Indian gaming industry, KRAFTON Inc, the leading South Korean video game developer, has announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Gujarat and TransStadia Technologies Pvt Ltd. This collaboration is set to stimulate the technology, gaming, and esports ecosystem in Gujarat, furthering KRAFTON’s dedicated efforts to cultivate India’s overall gaming and technology environment.

    The vibrant state of Gujarat, known for its rapid economic growth and burgeoning status as a magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI), is now poised to become a pivotal center for the esports and gaming industry. The state’s commitment to technological innovation and digital infrastructure makes it an ideal partner for KRAFTON, aiming to propel the local and national gaming scenes to new heights.

    “We are immensely proud to announce our partnership with the Government of Gujarat, a collaboration representing a significant stride forward for game development and esports in India. By combining Gujarat’s vibrant growth environment and our expertise in game development and esports, we are set to create unparalleled opportunities for talent development, infrastructure enhancement, and community engagement. We firmly believe that this collaboration will have a profound and positive impact, fostering innovation, and inspiring a new generation of gamers and developers.” said KRAFTON India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn.

    The government of Gujarat expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasising its alignment with the state’s vision for digital and economic growth. government of Gujarat minister for home, sports, youth and cultural activities Harsh Sanghavi remarked, “Government of Gujarat will benefit from this collaboration with KRAFTON as it will undoubtedly catalyze our efforts to transform Gujarat into an indigenous and interactive hub for e-sports. We look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on our youth and the broader esports gaming community.”

    KRAFTON has already invested $160 million in Indian startups since 2021 and plans to invest an additional $150 million over the next two to three years. In line with this commitment, KRAFTON recently launched the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator program, an initiative designed to nurture game development talent in India by providing funding, mentorship, and essential resources to promising developers.

    More recently, KRAFTON India also hosted BMPS 2023 (Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series) in Ahmedabad, a collaborative effort by KRAFTON and the city of Ahmedabad to foster the growing gaming ecosystem. With the signing of this MoU, the future of gaming and esports in Gujarat and India at large is brighter than ever. This collaboration is expected to create new opportunities, nurture talent, and establish Gujarat as a landmark destination for the global gaming community.

  • Battle royale: Why govt’s ban of BGMI spells bad news for gaming in India

    Battle royale: Why govt’s ban of BGMI spells bad news for gaming in India

    Mumbai: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), the Indian version of PUBG Mobile from Korean game maker Krafton, has been removed from both Apple and Google app stores in India following a government order. The rebranded game was launched in India in 2021 following the expulsion of the original popular PUBG game in September 2020.

    The relaunched version of the game with minor tweaks was quickly picked up by the gaming community in India, even as the game saw millions of downloads and active users. As of July 2022, Krafton’s BGMI surpassed 100 million registered users in the country.

    According to Reuters’ report, the government has banned the popular battle-ground format game, citing national security and data sharing concerns, using the same section of the IT law that it has invoked since 2020 to ban Chinese apps.

    Google said in a statement that it received an official order from the government to remove the game. “On receipt of the order, following the established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on the Play Store in India.”

    Krafton has also confirmed the development and said, “We are clarifying how BGMI was removed from the Google Play store and the App store and will let you know once we get specific information.”

    According to the South Korean game maker, it has invested nearly $100 million into the game and the country’s gaming start-up ecosystem to improve India’s local video game, esports, and entertainment startups in the last year. The game is also believed to be a major revenue source for esports organisations, teams, live streamers, esports players, and gaming content creators in India. Apart from Krafton’s official tournaments, several Indian esports organisations were organising multiple BGMI tournaments with massive prize pools.

    Among the Chinese apps that were relaunched and rebranded with similar features following their ban by the Indian government, BGMI is probably the biggest.

    Esports industry stakeholders reacted cautiously to the ban. Most of them said they are yet to receive an official statement from the government on the reason behind the removal of the game from the Play Store and App Store. Some felt this was between the publisher and the government and hoped the issue would be resolved soon.

    According to Revenant Esports founder & CEO Rohit Jagasia, the BGMI ban will definitely be a setback for all major stakeholders, like tournament organisations, esports teams, coaches, support staff, and most importantly, the athletes. However, he added that the company is optimistic about supporting its BGMI athletes during these ‘trying times.’ “At Revenant Esports, we will still be supporting our BGMI athletes and make sure they use our training facility to create content and try their hand at different games.”

    While the entire esports industry will take a hit, Jagasia added that the organisation was built during the first stint of the ban in 2020 and, hence, has always believed in diversification and will continue to do so. “We still have rosters competing in Pokémon Unite, which will be representing India at the World Championship in London; Call of Duty Mobile, which will be playing the regional playoffs for the world championship; Apex Legends, which previously represented the SEA region in the ALGS playoffs in Stockholm; and Valorant, which is currently playing a couple of regional tournaments.”

    Esports Federation of India director & Asian Esports Federation (AESF) vice president Lokesh Suji agreed on the importance of stressing diversification in the industry. He said India is paving its path to becoming a multi-sport nation where every sport is getting the right visibility, audience and investment to grow. “We have to reflect the same in esports where we need to start giving exposure to multiple esports titles and not be limited to one.”

    With so much attention on every front, including the government, it’s also high time our Indian video game developers speed up the process of launching world-class esports video game titles, he added.

    Several industry insiders felt it was too early to comment on the matter, while for some, like Esports Premier League (ESPL) director Vishwalok Nath, it’s a “wait-and-watch time” to take further decisions.

    According to a next-gen marketing agency specialising in the domains of gaming and lifestyle, Alpha Zegus founder and director Rohit Agarwal, such occurrences are becoming more common by the year, and are happening without any foresight. “Not very long ago, we saw a wave of China-based apps getting banned overnight, and also saw the likes of Free Fire getting the red flag-all happening without any prior warnings.”

    Apart from the data sharing concerns, a recent incident of a boy killing his mother over a BGMI argument has once again brought the game under the radar of the government, marking it as “unsafe for young adults.” Similar incidents of arguments and damage due to the game have arisen in the past as well.

    The gaming industry is realising more than ever that the esports and mobile games space is becoming increasingly unpredictable by the day. Stakeholders expressed the hope of a regulatory body coming into play that monitors the games over time, instead of banning them overnight.

    In the absence of an official statement from the centre on the removal of the game, if this game’s removal stays for some time, then it will be damaging to the ever-growing Indian esports ecosystem, says Qlan, The Gamer’s Social Network co-founder & CEO Sagar Nair.

    Looking at it from a sports lens, although we are a multi-sport nation, cricket enjoys the biggest chunk of revenue and viewership in our country, he added. “This potential stay will hamper the whole esports ecosystem—consumers, businesses, stakeholders, jobs and much more. There is a large investment riding on startups, tournaments, and game streaming. It’s a trickle effect waiting to happen.”

    It’s not just about one game, but with the kind of popularity, player base, and viewership BGMI has, it is leading the biggest esports title in India, industry insiders opined. However, many are confident that the esports revolution in India is huge and the community is tightly bound, due to which Indian esports will continue to grow and thrive.

    As of now, despite the removal of BGMI from the Google and Apple app stores, players can still play BGMI on their smartphones if they have downloaded it before. That is, until the government gets the developer, Krafton, to shut it down entirely.

    Also Read | Esports Premier League season 2 postponed due to govt’s ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India application

  • DDB Mudra’s “Game Responsibly” campaign wins Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions Awards 2022

    DDB Mudra’s “Game Responsibly” campaign wins Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions Awards 2022

    Mumbai: In a first for Indian gaming, DDB Mudra’s “Game Responsibly” campaign for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) bagged the Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions Awards 2022. Conceptualised by DDB Mudra, the first-of-its-kind campaign from Krafton addressed issues of continuous gaming, while reinstating in-game safeguards introduced by BGMI.

    Widely recognized as the global benchmark for creative excellence, the Cannes Lions Awards celebrate creativity across disciplines with specialist awards. As a crowd-favourite game with over a hundred million registered users, DDB Mudra and Krafton campaign focused on building awareness amongst players to cultivate healthy gaming habits while promoting responsible gameplay.  

    The slew of awards for this campaign began with a Grand Prix at Spikes Asia Awards, supported by two Golds, a Silver and three Bronze. The film then went on to win a Gold and a Bronze Lotus at Adfest 2022, three golds and a silver at the ABBY’s, a Graphite Pencil and three Wood Pencils at D&AD, seven Blue Elephants and ten Baby Elephants at Kyoorius. The icing on the cake came at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, wherein the film garnered four shortlists and bagged a Bronze Lion in the Film category.

    The campaign film employs the iconic gameplay sounds of BGMI as a metaphor for excessive gaming wherein the protagonist is shown mimicking the sounds incessantly. Humour is employed to drive home the features introduced by BGMI to combat continuous gaming, including OTP authentication for minors and limits on daily in-game spending. The film organically embeds the problem of over-gaming and its subsequent solution of parental control features into a relatable narrative that appeals to multiple audiences.

    Speaking on the film’s stellar performance at awards shows, DDB Mudra Group chief creative officer Rahul Mathew said, “Film isn’t usually the medium that we’re known for as a country. So, to have a film that has been celebrated on every stage globally is quite an honour for all of us.”

    “This is a historic moment for us, and we are incredibly proud that our collaborative work with DDB Mudra has been so highly awarded. The campaign had a plethora of challenges to creatively spreading awareness about in-game safeguards, and bringing gamers, families, and friends on the same page. Here at KRAFTON, Inc., our efforts are focused on ensuring safe, and responsible gaming while prioritising our gamers’ mental and physical wellbeing. The campaign was successful in reiterating BGMI’s responsible gaming measure in a manner that resonates with multiple audiences.” said Krafton head of India Publishing Minu Lee.

    “The Game Responsibly” campaign not only speaks to gamers but also brings their friends and parents into the conversation. By educating all three audiences, the campaign shows that there are simple solutions for an obsession that may otherwise have serious long-term effects.

  • Battlegrounds Mobile India partners with Flux@TheGlitch to elevate brand presence

    Battlegrounds Mobile India partners with Flux@TheGlitch to elevate brand presence

    Mumbai: Popular mobile video game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), developed and published by South Korean video game developer Krafton Inc has onboarded Flux@The Glitch, the content wing of The Glitch, a VMLY&R agency to create engaging video content for users.

    The partnership will focus on disruption driven and industry-first ideas to unleash the full potential of the BGMI brand in the Indian market, by bringing new players from various demographics across India, into the BGMI ecosystem. “The goal is to provide information and inspiration driven content based on awareness and engagement, that will help pull the community of both – the advanced gamers as well as the casual gamers into the game,” said the brand in a statement.

    With the increasing availability of smartphones and cheaper data plans, mobile gaming has become one of the fastest growing industries in India.

    “The gaming universe is growing exponentially in India, rallied by a majority of mobile gaming players like Battlegrounds Mobile India. As an avid gamer myself, I am super elated with an opportunity to grow the Battlegrounds community in India. The industry is yet untapped in India, and the promise is that of category first innovation and content,” said Flux creative director and the creative lead on the account Tathagata Ray.

    “More than a game, BGMI is a part of pop culture and we are more than happy to have it as part of our portfolio. We have put together a team of mobile gaming enthusiasts who’d like nothing more than to work on a brand like this,” stated Flux@The Glitch associate VP- strategy & business Varun Anchan. “What makes this even more exciting, is where we are at as a country when it comes to gaming. The Y-O-Y growth of the gaming industry as a whole and of mobile gaming, in particular, is just tremendous.”

    BGMI is a premier, free to play, multiplayer, battle royale game that aims to change the gaming landscape in the country. The mobile gaming industry in India is expected to treble in size over the next four years. Within the first week of the   launch of   Battlegrounds Mobile India in August   this year, Krafton saw nearly 40 million downloads and 16 million Daily Active Users, stated the gaming company.

  • Krafton launches PUBG successor Battlegrounds Mobile India

    Krafton launches PUBG successor Battlegrounds Mobile India

    Mumbai: South Korean video game company Krafton has officially launched Battlegrounds Mobile India in the country, a successor to the popular mobile game PUBG that was blocked by the government last year. Battlegrounds Mobile India is meant to be a replacement for PUBG Mobile.

    Krafton announced the launch via an official post on Facebook. “Fasten your seatbelts and get your squads ready, we welcome one and all to the official launch of BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA!,” the post reads. “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the fans in India who have been waiting for the official launch of Krafton’s BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA. As of July 2, 2021, thanks to your support, BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA has been officially released.”

    The new mobile game, developed exclusively for gaming enthusiasts and fans in India, had received 40 million pre-registrations that went live on May 18, 2021, the company said in a statement.

    PUBG Mobile was one of the more than 200 Chinese apps banned in India last October following the Galwan Valley clash with China. Battlegrounds Mobile India had recently also stirred controversy over the alleged misuse of Indian players’ data by sending it to servers in China. The company, at that time, had said it will continue to closely monitor and protect any data being transferred to “unexpected and restricted IP addresses”. The company had also said it is working to fully comply with the Indian laws and regulations.

    “We at Krafton are delighted to introduce Battlegrounds Mobile India for our fans in India today. Designed exclusively for our Indian fans and gamers, Battlegrounds Mobile India will provide a superlative gaming experience,” Krafton Inc CEO CH Kim said speaking on the launch of its new game, as mentioned by PTI.

    “This is just the beginning of a series of new content, collaborations, and esports tournaments coming users’ way and the company will strive to ensure that fans and community in India can fully enjoy the battlegrounds experiences”, he added.

    Krafton recently also made its first India investment in Mumbai-based game live-streaming startup Loco. The company was among the multiple investors in the startup’s first-ever fundraising.

  • Game on: PUBG returns as Battlegrounds Mobile India

    Game on: PUBG returns as Battlegrounds Mobile India

    NEW DELHI: It’s ‘winner winner, chicken dinner’ time again as popular mobile gaming phenomenon PUBG is all set to make a comeback in India, in a new avatar. The game’s South Korea-based developer Krafton has officially announced the relaunch of the game, now rebranded as Battlegrounds Mobile India.

    While Krafton has not revealed the exact date of the launch, it has assured that the multi-player game will be available to play soon. The official website of Battlegrounds Mobile India has already gone live and the company has also released an official teaser of the game.

    Ever since the government imposed ban last year, PUBG fans have been playing a game of Schrödinger’s cat, as the game developers teased a relaunch every now and then without any concrete details to offer.

    Battlegrounds Mobile India, a battle royale experience, will have a period of pre-registration before the launch. The game will be available to play only in India. Krafton will collaborate with partners to build an esports ecosystem while bringing in-game content regularly, starting with a series of India specific in-game events at launch, to be announced later.

    With privacy and data security being a top priority, Krafton will be working with partners to ensure data protection and security at each stage, the company said in a statement. “This will ensure privacy rights are respected, and all data collection and storage will be in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in India,” it added.

    Even though gameplay and other related details are yet to be revealed, the privacy policy and terms of service for the game, published under its new website by Krafton, detail at great length how Battlegrounds Mobile India is approaching its widest base of to-be users – minors, or any gamer under 18 years of age. These details include limitations in terms of duration of gaming, maximum daily spending limit and parental consent.

    According to the Battlegrounds Mobile India privacy policy, gamers under the age of 18 will only be able to play the game for a maximum of three hours per day. Krafton has also restricted the maximum spending limit in the game down to Rs 7,000 per day. The two limits likely seek to address controversies that had surrounded PUBG Mobile prior to its ban, in terms of the levels of addiction that it stirred among gamers playing the title in the country.

    With this, Battlegrounds Mobile India looks set to begin its journey in the country again. The title will be up for pre-registrations soon, and open access will follow soon.

  • Nodwin Gaming gets Rs 164 crore backing from PUBG creator Krafton

    Nodwin Gaming gets Rs 164 crore backing from PUBG creator Krafton

    KOLKATA: Built on the world's largest youth demographic and fuelled by affordable smartphone and data prices, e-sports has seen a surging demand which has led to Nodwin Gaming receiving a minority investment of Rs 164 crore from South Korean gaming firm Krafton. 

    Nodwin Gaming will channelise these funds to accelerate the development of e-sports in South Asia, Middle East and Africa, support talent, provide better gaming infrastructure and technology and conceptualise, organise and execute a multitude of tournament IPs at the national and international level.

    This round of funding follows previous investments from Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Nazara Technologies and from JetSynthesys backed by Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan. 

    “Esports will be a key pillar to the growth of sports entertainment in the future. It sits at a wonderful intersection of sports, entertainment and technology where nations such as India can pave the path. With Krafton coming on board, we have an endorsement from the mecca of gaming and e-sports – South Korea, on what we are building from India for the world based on our competence in mobile first markets,” said Nodwin Gaming co-founder and managing director Akshat Rathee. 

    Krafton is one of the top gaming companies in South Korea and is the creator of intellectual properties and games such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), TERA, Golf King, Castle Burn among others.

    India banned PUBG and hundreds of other apps with affiliation to China last year citing cybersecurity concerns. Krafton has been attempting to bring PUBG Mobile back in India, with no luck yet. To assuage the Indian government’s concerns about users’ security, the South Korean firm said it had cut ties with Chinese publisher Tencent.

    Krafton CEO Changhan Kim said, “Krafton is excited to partner with Nodwin Gaming to help foster the promising esports ecosystem and engage with our fans and players in India. Taking the momentum from this partnership, we will explore additional investment opportunities in the region to uphold our commitment and dedication in cultivating the local video game, esports, entertainment, and tech industries.”

    Post the transaction, Nazara will continue to own a stake in excess of 50 per cent in Nodwin Gaming. Nazara invested the e-sports firm in 2018 and this investment has created a value in excess of 6.44X in three years.

    Nazara technologies CEO Manish Agarwal said, “Nazara has been an early and strong believer in the potential of esports to disrupt the sports entertainment market and we believe this partnership between Krafton and the Nazara group will accelerate the growth of esports and open doors for collaboration between Indian and Korean gaming companies in future.” 

    JetSynthesys VC and MD Rajan Navani, the founder investor who helped envision Nodwin Gaming at the conception stage itself, added, “We identified the early opportunity in esports as a key pillar to build the gaming ecosystem in India and this investment is an endorsement of the tremendous potential of esports in the journey of a new Atmanirbhar Bharat. Akshat, Gautam and other members of the founding team are true gems of a youthful India that is raring to conquer the world and we at JetSynthesys are excited about what the future holds for us.”