KRAFTON Opens KIGI Cohort 4 Applications In India

KIGI Cohort 4 Recruitment Begins

KRAFTON has started accepting applications for the fourth cohort of the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI), the company's programme to build up India's game development scene. Recruitment opened on September 22 local time.

KIGI first kicked off in 2023, and the goal has stayed the same: find local developers and give them the backing to compete globally. Selected teams get business funding, mentoring from industry experts, and connections to global platforms so they can take original ideas to international markets.

What's New This Time

Cohort 4 is the first edition where KRAFTON is widening its net beyond early-stage ideas. Games that already have serious development progress can now apply, which is a big shift from the earlier format.

• Mobile: Projects that have done beta testing or soft launches with promising early metrics are now eligible.
• PC: Titles that have released a demo on Steam and shown player interest through wishlists or awards can apply.

The idea is to support Indian gaming IP at every stage of development with tailored help, not just at the idea stage.

Past Cohorts Are Delivering

The results from earlier batches are starting to show up. First-cohort participants finished development and hit soft launches. Cohort 2 studio Singular Scheme released its action tower defense game Frontier Paladin on Steam on April 24, which became KIGI's first commercially released PC game.

The four studios that joined Cohort 3 in April, Xod Games Studio, EvolX Games, Ether, and RedDevil Studio, are also moving through development.

Talent Push Alongside The Incubator

KRAFTON isn't stopping at funding studios. On September 1, the company tied up with IIT Madras to launch the KIGI Academy, an industry-academic programme.

The six-month curriculum is fully funded and covers the full game production pipeline, including coding, game design, UI/UX, and art. Out of the 30 students in the first class, 10 will get a two-month hands-on internship at KRAFTON India.

For Indian devs sitting on a mobile title with decent early numbers or a Steam demo pulling wishlists, Cohort 4 is now open for applications.