KRAFTON reported on the 29th that its first-quarter revenue reached 874.2 billion won and operating profit was 457.3 billion won. These figures represent increases of 31.3% and 47.3%, respectively, compared to the previous year, marking a record high for the quarter.
By institutional sector, revenue was as follows: ▲PC 323.5 billion won ▲mobile 532.4 billion won ▲console and others 18.3 billion won. The PC platform's performance in the first quarter was driven by a diversification of content centered around the intellectual property (IP) of 'PUBG: Battlegrounds' and robust live service operations. Additionally, the early success of the new IP 'inZOI' also played a significant role.
The mobile institutional sector also contributed to a record sales performance through premium items, IP collaborations, and localization strategies. 'BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA' (BGMI) achieved the highest revenue among localized content by collaborating with well-known local corporations, including Indian automotive manufacturer 'Mahindra.'
The unprecedented management results in the first quarter were achieved through the expansion of the PUBG IP franchise and the strategy of securing 'Big franchise IPs.' After going free-to-play, Battlegrounds surpassed a peak simultaneous user count of 1.4 million in March. In the future, KRAFTON stated it will enhance user experience and accelerate platform and genre expansion with new titles based on the Battlegrounds IP by collaborating with artists and brands and implementing new maps and modes.
Released in early access on the 28th of last month, 'inZOI' sold over 1 million copies within a week, setting the fastest sales record among all KRAFTON IPs, including Battlegrounds. Notably, around 95% of total sales occurred overseas, proving the global market potential of KRAFTON's original IPs following Battlegrounds. KRAFTON also noted that it plans to introduce new gaming experiences to the market through AI technology advancements, such as smart Zoi, utilizing Co Playable Character (CPC) technology.
KRAFTON is also pursuing optimized development and publishing strategies for each new title. Notably, the survival lifestyle simulation PC game 'Dinkum' began publishing in February and expanded support languages to 14. It aims to aggressively penetrate the global market following its official launch on the 23rd of this month. In the future, the release of the console and spin-off game 'Dinkum Together' will further expand its platform and user community and solidify the foundation for the IP franchise. 'Subnautica 2' is set for early access release this year, adopting a community snowballing publishing strategy that promptly reflects user evaluations and feedback.
In India, a key strategic country, KRAFTON stated it will solidify its position as a publisher based on the solid growth of BGMI. The company plans to accelerate growth by promoting various collaborations and providing attractive content and marketing to local users. Previously, KRAFTON secured management rights of Nautilus Mobile last month to acquire the IP of the representative Indian mobile cricket game 'Real Cricket.' KRAFTON intends to actively develop customized strategies suited to regional characteristics to expand its user base and explore new publishing opportunities and business chances to discover the 'second BGMI.'