KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) has announced the expansion of its second startup cohort, onboarding six new gaming studios—up from four in its inaugural batch. This strategic move not only grows the incubator’s scale but also extends its geographical footprint across India’s emerging gaming hubs.
The newly selected studios include Kleanup Games and Singular Scheme from Mumbai, Advaita Interactive from Kolkata, Smash Head Studio from Bengaluru, Unwind Games from Hyderabad, and Ginger Games from New Delhi. With Kolkata joining the roster and plans to tap into Madurai, KIGI is visibly pushing to nurture gaming talent beyond traditional tech hubs.
Each participating studio will benefit from a comprehensive incubation program, which includes 6 to 12 months of mentorship and funding support of up to $150,000. KIGI has also formed valuable partnerships with AWS, AccelByte, App Magic, and GameRefinery to provide technical and strategic support. These partners bring robust cloud infrastructure, backend tools, and in-depth market analytics to help studios build, position, and refine their games.
Notably, this cohort showcases a broader range of game genres, including an AI-powered detective game from a Kolkata studio and a new PC title in development, reflecting the incubator’s growing creative diversity.
Launched in 2023 by South Korean gaming giant KRAFTON—best known for blockbuster titles like PUBG and Subnautica—KIGI marks the company’s continued commitment to fostering India’s game development ecosystem. Beyond KIGI, KRAFTON has invested more than $200 million in Indian gaming and esports startups since 2021.
As India’s passion for gaming, especially cricket-themed and narrative-driven titles, continues to surge, KRAFTON’s expanded incubator initiative aims to elevate homegrown studios to a global playing field, reinforcing its role as a key catalyst in India’s gaming revolution.
