Krafton has alleviated concerns about relying solely on its PUBG intellectual property (IP) by achieving record results in both the first half and second quarter of this year, driven by the performance of PUBG and the new title Subnautica 2. The company plans to launch new games based on Subnautica 2 and other IPs, marking the beginning of a multi-IP era.
In the second quarter, Krafton reported revenues of 1.29 trillion won and an operating profit of 410.9 billion won, representing increases of 94.4% and 67%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. For the first half of the year, revenues reached 2.66 trillion won, with an operating profit of 972.5 billion won, both setting records for the company. These figures reflect year-on-year increases of 73.3% and 38.3%.
During a conference call on July 29, Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han emphasized, "The second quarter of this year has validated the performance of our core IPs, solidifying our growth framework based on franchise IPs." He expressed confidence in the success of Krafton's franchise growth strategy, supported by the sustained growth of the PUBG franchise and the performance of Subnautica IP.
According to Krafton, Subnautica 2 surpassed 5 million copies sold just 22 days after its early access launch in May. CEO Kim noted, "Subnautica 2 has achieved successful launch results in both quantitative metrics and qualitative user feedback through its early access phase, confirming its potential as Krafton's second franchise IP."
Krafton's Chief Financial Officer Baek Dong-geun stated, "Subnautica 2 has recorded top-tier initial sales among major global hits," adding that its success has also boosted sales of existing titles like Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero. Despite being released in 2018, Subnautica has generated approximately 42 billion won in sales, demonstrating its revenue-generating capability.
Kim further stated, "We will continue to scale up the Subnautica IP from a long-term perspective," and emphasized the importance of strengthening a repeatable growth system for securing and nurturing franchise IPs based on the experiences and decision-making capabilities gained during the launch of Subnautica 2.
At the same time, the PUBG franchise is set to expand beyond a single game into a platform that combines various gameplay and content.
Kim explained, "In the second quarter, PUBG activated its core fandom through well-made modules on the PC platform, demonstrating that content quality can translate into medical metrics and revenue growth. In the third quarter, we will expand the user-generated content (UGC) ecosystem to mobile platforms."
Krafton also reported that the PUBG mobile platform has been expanding its creator openness and gameplay ecosystem since the launch of World of Wonder in 2023, surpassing 5.4 million user-created maps and facilitating over 3.3 billion matches played.
In August, Krafton will unveil five new titles at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, targeting a 2027 release. The new titles include one based on the PUBG IP and four based on new IPs: NO LAW, Project Zeta, Age Twister, and Tangle: Unbound. Kim stated, "Through these five new titles, we will rigorously validate the market for the investments Krafton has accumulated."
Kim concluded, "Having established multiple growth pillars based on franchise IPs through PUBG and Subnautica, we will enhance our strategic focus on core IPs and secure new franchise IPs through a viable growth system."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.