Krafton brands life simulator InZoi a ‘long-term franchise’ after it hits 1 million sales
Life simulation game InZoi has achieved over 1 million sales within a week of its release on Steam Early Access.
Krafton announced the achievement in a statement to investors and noted that InZoi hit this landmark quicker than any other title it has published.
Prior to its early access launch, InZoi became the most wishlisted game on Steam (according to the platform’s own global charts) and climbed to the top of the Steam Global Best Sellers List within 40 minutes of release.
Krafton asserted that its “player-centric operational strategy” fostered trust with consumers and generated positive sentiment before launch.
“We’re thankful and excited to introduce InZoi to players around the globe through Early Access,” stated Krafton CEO CH Kim. “We will continue to engage actively with players and develop InZoi as Krafton’s long-term franchise intellectual property.”
Early access and collaboration are crucial to Krafton’s strategy with InZoi
Krafton is overseeing the development of InZoi through its appropriately named subsidiary InZoi Studio. The development team stated they released the game in early access to incorporate collaboration into the foundation of production.
“The life simulation genre presents a unique challenge: capturing the depth and intricacy of life in a video game,” explained the studio on Steam.
“We view our development as not a sprint but rather a marathon, requiring time to craft various elements that will make InZoi feel increasingly authentic. Determining which features to prioritize is essential, and we believe that open communication with players is the best way to achieve this.”
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Currently, Krafton is attempting to evolve beyond merely being the ‘PUBG company’ by developing “substantial franchise intellectual property.”
In its latest financial report, which saw the company report record annual revenue and operating profit, Krafton stated it plans to continue making “bold investments” into PUBG while being “assertive” in its efforts to launch more significant franchises.
“While continuing to grow the PUBG IP, we intend to accelerate the discovery of new franchise IP to strengthen our competitive position in the global gaming landscape,” Kim noted.
“With our AI technology highlighting the future of gaming experiences, we aspire to transform beyond game development, becoming a company that ultimately enriches the global entertainment ecosystem.”
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Data Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience in the gaming industry. His byline has appeared in major print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, Global Business Reports, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered significant industry events, including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has served on the judging committee for The Develop Star Awards multiple times and has been featured on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.