KRAFTON India Launches Third Cohort of Its KIGI Gaming Incubator Program
- Sagar Mankar
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
KRAFTON India has announced the launch of the third cohort of its KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) program, selecting four emerging game development studios from across the country.
The announcement was made on Friday at the India Gaming Show (IGS) 2026, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The event also witnessed the launch reveal of Frontier Paladin, the first PC game to come out of the KIGI incubator, which is set to release on April 24, 2026.
What Is KIGI?
Launched in 2023, KIGI is an incubation program designed to help Indian game studios build globally competitive titles. It focuses on strengthening production capabilities, refining go-to-market strategies, and preparing studios for launch readiness.
The program offers selected studios a financial grant ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, along with 6 to 12 months of mentorship from KRAFTON's global network of game development and adjacent teams.
The Third Cohort: Who Made the Cut?
For this cohort, KIGI received a massive 900 applications from studios across India. Out of those, four studios have been selected. Here is a look at the selected studios and the games they are working on:
Xod Games Studio: Peaky Circus, a narrative-driven Metroidvania title
EvolX Games: Ludaro, a roguelike deck-building game
Ether Games: Battlefront, a mobile shooter
RedDevil Studio: Rooster Rumble, a rooster fighting game
It is worth noting that Tamil Nadu has shown particularly strong interest in the program. According to Anuj Sahani, Head of KIGI and Director of Publishing at KRAFTON India, roughly 100 to 150 of the total applications came from the state alone.
More Than Just Funding
The financial support is a big draw, no doubt. But the program goes a step further. As per Sahani, KRAFTON may also consider picking up equity stakes in some of the more promising studios coming out of the incubator. This aligns with the company's previously announced plans to invest $150 to $200 million in Indian gaming and related companies.
A Look Back: Studios From Previous Cohorts
KIGI has already supported 10 studios across its first two cohorts. Here is a breakdown of who was part of each batch:
Cohort 1 (2023 to 2024):
ReDimension Games (Nagaland): Sojourn Past, a stylized 2D action-adventure
Shura Games (Haryana): Spice Secrets, a culinary puzzle game
Dunali Games (Delhi): Rookie Tales, a tactical deck-building RPG
Arjuna Studios (Karnataka): Gangster Carnival, a desi-styled battle royale
Cohort 2 (2024 to 2025):
Kleanup Games (Tamil Nadu): CHROMADI, a vibrant retro shoot-'em-up
Advaita Interactive (West Bengal): Inspectorium, a steampunk detective title
Singular Scheme (Maharashtra): Frontier Paladin, an RPG-tower defense hybrid
Smash Head Studio (Karnataka): Cricket Rivals, a reimagined multiplayer cricket game
Unwind Games (Telangana): BaoBao's Journey, a cozy puzzle experience
Ginger Games (Delhi): Monkey Mayhem, a hybrid-casual action adventure
The Bigger Picture
KRAFTON India's commitment to the domestic gaming ecosystem is clearly growing with each passing year. With 14 studios now supported across three cohorts and a game finally making it to a PC release, the KIGI program is starting to show real, tangible results. For a country with a rapidly expanding game development scene, initiatives like these could go a long way in putting Indian studios on the global map.