BGMI maker Krafton expands its Indian gaming incubator with two more startups

Dunali Games and Arjuna Studios will be part of Krafton India Gaming Incubator

Krafton, the maker of the popular battle royale title Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has announced the addition of two new startups to the inaugural cohort of its India-specific incubator Krafton India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) that aims to boost game development in the country.

The selected startups include Gurugram-based Dunali Games and Delhi-based Arjuna Studios. They will be joining Nagaland-based ReDimension Games and Bengaluru-based Shura Games who joined the programme in March this year.

Dunali Games was founded by Dipender Kaushik in 2020 and it is developing Tale of Honour, an Android strategy-driven stealth puzzle game. It has previously developed online and mobile games such as Planet Heroes, Wheels of Fury, and Arrow Arcade.

Meanwhile, Arjuna Studios is developing a mobile-focused multiplayer Battle Royale game called Gangster Carnival. The studio was founded by Salil Gupta, Manraj Bawa, and Sagnic Bhowmick earlier this year.

Krafton India Gaming Incubator was first announced by the South Korean gaming giant in October 2023 and is led by former Gameloft and Glu Mobile executive Anuj Sahani. The incubator solely focuses on game development studios, with the programme duration ranging from six months to a year.

As part of this initiative, game developers will receive tailored mentorship from industry experts in game development, design, marketing, and business strategy. They will also get financial assistance ranging from $50,000-$150,000 along with access to Krafton's internal resources including data analytics and market research, among others.

The move came as the South Korean gaming firm deepens its presence in India, to capitalise on the country's rising potential as a global gaming hub.

In August 2023, Krafton pledged to invest $150 million in Indian gaming and interactive entertainment startups over the next two to three years. This brings its total commitment to the Indian market to about $290 million, making it one of the most prolific strategic investors in the country in recent years.

The company has also released several games in the India market in recent years. This includes Bullet Echo India, Garuda Saga, Road To Valor: Empires, and Defense Darby, besides the flagship title BGMI.