South Korean video game publisher KRAFTON announced its 1Q24 preliminary earnings, recording 1Q24 sales of 665.9 billion South Korean Won ($487 million) and a net profit of 48.6 billion KRW ($255 million).
Through various live services using PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS IP, there has been high growth in all areas, including sales and traffic. To continue with this trend, KRAFTON is focusing on securing stable traffic, enhancing monetization models, and actively pushing forward with investment and development for IP franchises.
PC/Console of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS saw its monthly active users (MAU), and sales reach the highest figures since the F2P(Free-to-play) transition in 2022, thanks to the popularity of the Rondo map update released in the fourth quarter of last year and the progressive weapon skin launched in the first quarter of this year. The mobile business also showed a steady increase in traffic due to the 6th-anniversary theme mode and the HomeGround content.
KRAFTON also expanded investments in developers to secure future growth engines. Aligned with the ‘Scale-up the Creative’ strategy announced in 2023, KRAFTON is acquiring promising global IPs through equity investments in developers and second-party publishing. Last year, a total of 10 investments were conducted and the pace has accelerated this year to carry out nine investments already in the first half of 2024.
Additionally, the company conducted a beta test of its major 2024 title, ‘Dark and Darker Mobile.’ The first beta test was carried out exclusively in Korea for five days in April, and it attracted over 50,000 participants. KRAFTON plans to improve the quality of the game through user feedback obtained during the beta test period while also focusing on the global launch through phased marketing expansion in the second half of this year.
