Krafton is continuing its proactive investments in overseas game development studios, steadily expanding its collaboration network with developers possessing proven capabilities. With the goal of launching a global hit to rival the success of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Krafton’s latest moves reflect a focused effort to strengthen development capacity and diversify its long-term game portfolio.
Krafton Leads Series A Round for U.S.-based Developer “Gardens”
According to industry sources, Krafton recently participated in the Series A funding round for U.S.-based indie game developer Gardens. The round was co-led with global venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, and included Dreamhaven as a major investor—a studio founded by Mike Morhaime, the co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment.
While Krafton’s exact investment amount has not been disclosed, Gardens reportedly raised a total of $31.3 million (approximately 40 billion KRW) during the Series A round. Given Krafton’s total consolidated assets of KRW 6.31 trillion as of Q1 2023, this investment is not considered large relative to its corporate scale.
Gardens was established in 2021 and is categorized as an indie game studio, which typically develops games independently and creatively without external interference, focusing more on gameplay quality than profitability. Gardens is currently led by Chris Bell, a former developer at thatgamecompany and a key contributor to the critically acclaimed indie hit Journey.
https://www.thebell.co.kr/free/content/ArticleView.asp?key=202307130836380740108130