From early roots to global games publishing: the Krafton story

Krafton was founded in South Korea on 26 March 2007 as Bluehole, initially building online games.

How Krafton developed

The company’s trajectory changed with the global success of PUBG: Battlegrounds, developed by PUBG Corporation. Bluehole adopted the Krafton name in November 2018, built a multi-studio structure, acquired developers including Unknown Worlds and listed on Korea’s stock market in 2021.

Krafton in 2026

By 2026, Krafton was a global games publisher and developer with franchises spanning battle royale, survival, mobile and other genres.

Krafton’s story shows how a single breakout game can finance a broader studio portfolio, while also creating pressure to build durable franchises beyond the title that produced the original surge in growth.

Information was checked against public company material, regulatory filings and reputable independent reporting where available, using sources accessible on 18 September 2026.