Krafton takes over Indian gaming studio Nautilus Mobile for $14 million
South Korean gaming giant Krafton has acquired a majority stake (more than 75 percent) in the Pune-based gaming company Nautilus Mobile for $14 million in cash. This strategic move is likely to consolidate Krafton’s position in India’s booming mobile gaming business.
Details of the acquisition
Nautilus Mobile, founded in 2013, is best known for its popular franchise Real Cricket, a series of cricket simulation games that have gained tremendous popularity among Indian gamers. With five prominent titles, including Real Cricket 24 and Real Cricket Premier League, Nautilus has established itself as a giant in the cricket gaming segment.
As reported by , Krafton’s acquisition involves taking a majority stake in Nautilus, with the latter allowed to operate independently. The acquisition ensures that all 45 employees at Nautilus are retained, ensuring a smooth transition. The collaboration has the potential to bring innovation to mobile cricket gaming.
Nautilus CEO Anuj Mankar stated, “Our development capability in Nautilus will help Krafton double down on its India gaming strategy, and together, we can probably build more games and more genres, both for the Indian market and global market going forward.”
Why Krafton invested in Nautilus
The market for high-quality cricket games in India is huge, and Krafton recognises Nautilus as a leading player in this category. By improving and diversifying Nautilus’ gaming library, Krafton aims to capture a significant share of India’s sports gaming market.
This transaction is likely to introduce more quality cricket games to Indian gamers and create opportunities for budding game developers and esports professionals. Krafton’s support may also enhance the overall gaming infrastructure in India.
Nihansh Bhat, corporate lead development at Krafton India, stated, “We strongly believe that cricket games have a lot of potential. And we want to work with Nautilus to make the best effort possible to really realise the potential of this market, not just in India, but in other cricket-playing nations and other countries, which are becoming more active in cricket.”
Krafton’s strategy in India
India’s mobile gaming market has been growing at an exponential rate. Mobile games generate almost 78 percent of the overall revenue of the Indian gaming market, reports Niko Partners. With growth expected to reach $640 million in 2023 and $1.1 billion by 2028, Krafton’s investment in Nautilus is a strategic decision to capitalise on this growing market.
Krafton has invested over $200 million in Indian gaming and tech startups, including companies like Cashfree and Kuku FM. The acquisition of Nautilus aligns with its broader vision to diversify beyond battle royale games and establish a stronger foothold in India.
