Krafton
Krafton business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
Krafton are no longer listed as Subnautica 2's publishers on Steam and the Epic store, following a quiet switch
Krafton is no longer listed as the publisher for Subnautica 2 on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with developers Unknown Worlds now solely credited. This change follows recent legal actions between Krafton and former studio leads, and Ted Gill has been reinstated as Unknown Worlds CEO. While Krafton's name has been removed from the publisher sections, it still appears in the 'Franchise' section on Steam.
Subnautica 2's Messy Publisher Drama Takes Another Turn
Krafton is no longer listed as the publisher of Subnautica 2 on Steam, with developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment now handling both development and publishing duties. This change occurs amidst a legal dispute between the two companies, which began when Krafton allegedly delayed the game's release to avoid a significant payout to Unknown Worlds' founders. A judge had previously ordered Krafton to reinstate CEO Ted Gill.
Subnautica 2 is Seemingly No Longer Being Published by Krafton
Krafton is no longer listed as the publisher for Subnautica 2, with Unknown Worlds Entertainment now handling both development and publishing duties. This change follows a dispute over Krafton's premature announcement of the game's Early Access release window. Subnautica 2 is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Morning Interviews
Taeseok Jang, the head of PUBG, expressed significant respect for Fortnite and discussed the future of the battle royale genre. He believes that battle royales can continue to thrive by evolving and adapting.
PUBG boss was "sad" to see Concord and Highguard get shut down, but hopes to learn from their mistakes
Taeseok Jang, IP franchise director for PUBG at Krafton, expressed sadness over the shutdowns of multiplayer games like Concord and Highguard, noting the inherent difficulty in developing successful multiplayer titles. He highlighted lessons learned from community messaging and the challenges of early access, referencing the short lifespan of PUBG: Blindspot.
How PUBG is trying to win back the West
Krafton is implementing a two-pronged strategy to revitalize PUBG: Battlegrounds' appeal in Western markets, aiming to transform it into a content platform and a cultural icon. This involves expanding gameplay with new modes and user-generated content, alongside collaborations with Western artists. The company is also focusing on rapid prototyping for new games in the PUBG universe, learning from early access experiments.
"I have big respect for them" - PUBG's boss looks to old foe Fortnite to secure the future of its battle royale
Taeseok Jang, Krafton's head of the PUBG IP franchise group, expresses respect for Fortnite's success in evolving the battle royale genre into a platform for user-generated content and diverse experiences. Despite challenges faced by Fortnite and the broader live service market, Jang believes PUBG: Battlegrounds is well-positioned for future growth by embracing a similar platform model and unique gameplay.
PUBG: Battlegrounds' new PvE mode is all about fighting off an alien invasion, and/or hiding in a big man-made dirt hole
Krafton has launched a new PvE mode for PUBG: Battlegrounds called Xeno Point, where players team up to fight an alien robot invasion. The mode features roguelike elements with increasing difficulty and new "supers" and "blue chip skills." Additionally, the 41.1 update introduces destructible terrain to Erangel and includes crossover content with Stellar Blade and Aespa.
The Cube, Save Us Becomes the Latest Live-Service Cautionary Tale
Developer and publisher XLGAMES has announced that its MMO extraction shooter, The Cube, Save Us, will be shutting down on May 8th due to a significant drop in player count and overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews. Refunds will be issued for legitimate purchases made on Steam. This marks another cautionary tale in the live-service genre, following recent shutdowns like Krafton's PUBG: Blindspot.
InZoi devs say Baldur's Gate 3's early-access success story helped inspire them to try it themselves, even though it "was not really a thing" for Korean studios
Developers of the life simulation game InZOI have stated that the game's increasing complexity necessitated an early access launch, a strategy inspired by Western studios. They cited Baldur's Gate 3's success as an example of building games alongside players. The studio aims to use early access to validate the game's potential.
MMO Week in Review: Queen Devona
This week's MMO news roundup covers updates for Guild Wars Reforged, layoffs at MechWarrior studio Piranha Games, and a potential acquisition of Epic Games by Disney. The article also touches on political discussions surrounding game shutdowns in Europe and new early access dates for Heroes of Might and Magic Olden Era.
InZOI boss says the success of Crimson Desert and other Korean games is "really nice to see" but Asian developers "still have a lot to learn from Western developers"
Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim, director of Krafton's InZOI, expressed pride in the success of fellow Korean developers like Pearl Abyss with Crimson Desert. However, he also stated that Asian game developers still have much to learn from their Western counterparts.
PUBG's new co-op PvE mode, Xeno Point, offers a strange vision of a post-battle royale future
PUBG Battlegrounds is introducing a new co-op PvE mode called Xeno Point, separate from its core battle royale experience. This mode features squad-based gameplay with progression systems, crafting, and upgraded weapons. While the preview suggests the mode is manageable even on higher difficulties, its long-term appeal and originality remain a question.
Mr. Resident Evil signs a deal with Mr. Stellar Blade
Shift Up, the company behind Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory: Nikke, has acquired Shinji Mikami's new studio, Unbound Inc. Unbound's unannounced games will be supported and distributed by Shift Up, with Mikami expressing confidence in a creative partnership with CEO Hyung-Tae Kim. This acquisition follows the closure of Mikami's previous studio, Tango Gameworks, by Microsoft.
PGS 2 Grand Finals: PUBG’s Elite Battle for Championship Glory
The PUBG Global Series 2 Grand Finals concluded after four days of intense competition, showcasing pure tactical warfare with 100 players battling for supremacy. The tournament format, spanning Winners Stage, Survival Stage, and the Final Stage, rewarded strategic decision-making and flawless execution under pressure. Krafton's production quality and engagement strategies, including dual streaming platforms and in-game drops, enhanced the viewer experience for this elite esports event.
Krafton, Flyquest, Arbitrum invest $3.5M in Psychedelic Games' MOBA Golden Tides
Psychedelic Games, the developer of the upcoming MOBA Golden Tides, has secured $3.5 million in funding from Krafton, FlyQuest, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures. The company aims to build a sustainable competitive ecosystem through strategic partnerships rather than traditional venture capital. This investment will support the development and launch of Golden Tides, which seeks to innovate within the MOBA genre.
Shift Up has acquired Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami's new studio
Stellar Blade developer Shift Up has acquired Unbound Inc, the new studio founded by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. Unbound is developing original console and PC titles, which Shift Up will publish. The acquisition aims to expand Shift Up's publishing reach and bolster its development talent with Mikami's team.
PONCLE KEYNOTE LEADS EXPANDED B2B PROGRAMME AT LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL
The London Games Festival has expanded its B2B program, featuring a keynote from Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors. The event includes a two-day Games Finance Market with £247 million in potential investment, a Self-Publishing Toolkit live session, and the first Games For Change London Summit focused on social impact through games. A 'Games meets film' convergence event, Screen Play, will also explore collaborations between creative industries.
Inzoi Studio head says early access was unavoidable, but he feels kind of bad about it: 'The users are testing it on our behalf, so I always feel sorry for them'
Hyungjun Kim, head of Inzoi Studio at Krafton, acknowledges the challenges of developing a life simulation game and feels apologetic towards players testing Inzoi in early access. He noted the difficulty in competing with The Sims' long-standing success and the complexities of creating an open-world life sim.
InZOI boss made his "untalented" son play the successful life sim to "learn game development" and be less disappointing: "My son doesn't seem to have any talent"
InZOI Studio lead Hyungjun Kim shared that he had his son play the life simulation game to learn game development, as he believed his son lacked talent. His son has since begun working on mods for InZOI.
