Krafton, the South Korean gaming giant behind PUBG: Battlegrounds and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has acquired a controlling stake in Indian gaming studio Nautilus Mobile for US$14 million. The all-cash deal gives Krafton a “north of 75% stake” in the company, which is known for its popular Real Cricket franchise.
On June 7, Krafton confirmed the acquisition, stating that Nautilus will continue to operate independently. The Pune-based studio, which employs 45 people, will retain its workforce as part of the agreement. The deal is expected to be finalised by the end of the month.
Founded in 2013, Nautilus Mobile has made a name for itself in the Indian gaming industry with its cricket-focused mobile games. Its Real Cricket franchise, which includes five titles such as Real Cricket 24 and Real Cricket Premier League, has amassed millions of downloads.
Krafton’s long-term vision for India’s gaming market
With this acquisition, Krafton aims to enhance Nautilus’s expertise in cricket gaming, an area with high demand in India. The company plans to refine existing titles in the short term while exploring new genres in the future.
Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India, emphasised the strategic importance of the deal. “Our development capability in Nautilus will help Krafton double down on its India gaming strategy. Together, we can create more games across multiple genres, not just for India but for the global market,” he said in an interview.
Nautilus CEO Anuj Mankar echoed this sentiment, stating that Krafton’s involvement would help the studio expand its reach beyond India over time.
India’s mobile gaming sector is on a strong growth trajectory, driven by a large base of young smartphone users. According to market intelligence firm Niko Partners, mobile gaming accounts for 77.9% of the country’s total gaming revenue. The sector is projected to grow from US$640 million in 2023 to US$1.1 billion by 2028.
Expanding beyond BGMI and exploring new opportunities
Krafton has already seen significant success in India, largely due to BGMI, which reached its highest-ever sales last year and surpassed 200 million downloads. Other titles, such as Bullet Echo India, Road to Valor, and CookieRun, have yet to replicate this success.
By acquiring Nautilus, Krafton wants to expand beyond BGMI and tap into new cricket and other sports game opportunities. The move aligns with its long-term vision of growing its presence in India and other cricket-playing nations.
Before Krafton’s acquisition, Nautilus Mobile was fully owned by Indian digital entertainment company JetSynthesys, which acquired it in 2020. Krafton had previously invested US$5.4 million in Nautilus in 2022 but found its role as a minority stakeholder limiting.
“We strongly believe that cricket games have huge potential. We want to work with Nautilus to maximise this opportunity, not just in India but in other regions where cricket is gaining popularity,” said Nihansh Bhat, corporate development lead at Krafton India.
JetSynthesys will continue to hold a significant minority stake in Nautilus Mobile and collaborate on eSports. The company has already worked with Nautilus to partner its Real Cricket game with teams associated with the Indian Premier League (IPL), India’s most lucrative cricket tournament.
Krafton will focus on increasing revenue, expanding the user base, and improving player retention. The company also hopes to secure new deals to strengthen Nautilus’s position in the gaming market.
