Krafton acquires $14m controlling stake in Indian studio Nautilus Cellular
“We aim to unlock the potential of this market, not only in India but also in other cricket-loving nations,” states a Krafton executive.
Krafton has secured a majority share in the Indian gaming firm Nautilus Cellular for $14 million.
The cash-only transaction was confirmed at the close of last week, with TechCrunch reporting that Krafton acquired “more than 75% stake” in the studio, best known for its Real Cricket intellectual property. This follows an earlier investment of $5.4 million made by Krafton in Nautilus in 2022.
The studio is said to retain its independence and all 45 staff members. This will mark Krafton’s thirteenth development studio, joining other subsidiary creators such as Bluehole, PUBG Studios, Striking Distance, Unknown Worlds, Tango Gameworks, and InZOI Studio.
“Our strategic investment in Nautilus will support Krafton in intensifying its gaming approach in India, and together, we can potentially create more games across various genres, catering to both the Indian and global markets in the future,” stated Nautilus CEO Anuj Mankar.
“We firmly believe that cricket games possess significant potential,” Krafton’s corporate development lead in Krafton India, Nihansh Bhat, commented to TechCrunch. “And we are eager to collaborate with Nautilus to create the best possible efforts to truly realize the potential of this market, not just in India, but also in other cricket-playing nations and beyond.”