KRAFTON India Signs MoU with IIT Madras to Launch KIGI Academy, a New Gateway into Game Development

HT Syndication
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 1: KRAFTON India today announced the launch of KIGI Academy, a new industry-academia initiative designed to build India's game development talent ecosystem. The program will begin with an academic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), marking KIGI Academy's first collaboration under the initiative.
Through KIGI Academy, IITM students will receive immersive, hands-on exposure across the full spectrum of game development, including coding, game design, UI/UX, art, and product development, reflecting KRAFTON India's commitment to investing in the country's next generation of developers, designers, and creators. The six-month, fully funded program comprises a four-month on-site learning phase at the IIT Madras campus, followed by a two-month immersive residency at KRAFTON India's headquarters in Bengaluru. The inaugural cohort will include 30 students, with 10 selected for the residential phase through a structured process involving an online application via the IIT Madras placement portal, application screening, and a personal interview. The program is open to the students of IITM, third- and fourth-year Bachelors and Dual Degree students across all years, as well as postgraduate and Master's students from any engineering discipline, with no prior game development experience required.
Building on this foundation, the 16-week on-site phase focuses on strengthening core game development skills using the Unity engine, with an emphasis on mobile gaming and collaborative weekly builds. This is followed by an 8-week residency, where participants gain hands-on exposure to real-world game production processes, culminating in the development and showcase of a final vertical-slice game. Throughout the program, participants are mentored by industry experts and introduced to KRAFTON's global development standards, with exceptional performers also receiving the opportunity to join KRAFTON India through full-time roles.
Anuj Sahni, Head of KRAFTON Incubator Program & Director Publishing, KRAFTON India, said, "India has no shortage of exceptional engineering and creative talent. What has been missing is a structured pathway that bridges academic learning with the realities of game development. KIGI Academy is our effort to close that gap. For students who have always dreamed of building games, this program offers a rare opportunity to learn how a game is created from scratch, from ideation and design to development, user experience and publishing, under the guidance of industry experts. Through our partnership with IIT Madras, we are creating a platform that prepares the next generation of developers to build world-class games from India."
Saurabh Shah, Head of People Operations, KRAFTON India, said, "At KRAFTON India, we see immense potential in India's young talent, and KIGI Academy is an important step towards creating meaningful pathways from learning to careers in the gaming industry. Through this programme, we aim to identify promising talent early, give them the right exposure and industry-led training, and create opportunities for them to build careers in game development. By connecting students with real-world skills, experienced mentors and potential career opportunities, we hope to contribute to a stronger and more future-ready talent pool for India's gaming ecosystem."
Prof. Prathap Haridoss, Dean, Academic Courses, IIT Madras, said, "At IIT Madras, we believe that meaningful innovation happens when academia and industry come together to solve real-world challenges. KIGI Academy is an excellent example of this collaboration, offering students the opportunity to learn directly from industry experts while working on practical aspects of game development. We are pleased to partner with KRAFTON India on this initiative and look forward to nurturing talent that will contribute to the growth of India's game development ecosystem."
KIGI Academy builds on KRAFTON's established game development training legacy in Korea. Since launching KRAFTON Jungle in October 2022, KRAFTON has run an intensive, project-based residency program designed to help developers build core technical skills while working through the full cycle of game creation, from prototype to public launch rather than through classroom-style instruction. The program aims to scale the format to train 1,000 developers annually in Korea. Notably, Jungle program operators also act as mentors for game developers selected for the KIGI initiative. KIGI Academy channels this cross-market mentorship and the Jungle program's hands-on training philosophy into a curriculum adapted specifically for India's mobile-first, fast-growing gaming industry.
IIT Madras, ranked India's No. 1 engineering institution for the tenth consecutive year under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), was selected as the founding partner following an active, multi-year campus relationship with KRAFTON India through Rendezvous, technical festivals and game jams, which has previously resulted in full-time offers to IIT Madras students.
About KRAFTON, Inc.
Headquartered in Korea, KRAFTON, Inc. is a global game developer and publisher dedicated to pioneering unforgettable worlds for players everywhere. Founded in 2007, KRAFTON brings together a diverse portfolio of studios including PUBG STUDIOS, Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, Neon Giant, KRAFTON Montreal Studio, Bluehole Studio, RisingWings, 5minlab, Dreamotion, ReLU Games, Flyway Games, Tango Gameworks, inZOI Studio, JOFSOFT, Eleventh Hour Games, OmniCraft Labs, Olivetree Games, Loonshot Games, and 9B STUDIO. Each is united by a commitment to bold imagination and breakthrough game-making. KRAFTON's franchises and titles include PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG MOBILE, PUBG: BLINDSPOT, inZOI, Subnautica, MIMESIS, Hi-Fi Rush, Dinkum, TERA, My Little Puppy, and more. Guided by its vision to pioneer the path to players' dreams, KRAFTON is focused on building franchises that last and delivering experiences that resonate with players around the world. For more information, visit www.KRAFTON.com.
About KRAFTON India
KRAFTON India is responsible for delivering premier mobile gaming experiences in the country, led by its flagship title BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI), which has surpassed 260 million downloads. Its diverse portfolio also includes titles such as Bullet Echo India, Road To Valor: Empires, CookieRun India, and Real Cricket, catering to a wide spectrum of Indian gamers.
Beyond publishing games, KRAFTON India is committed to strengthening the digital entertainment ecosystem. Since 2021, the company has invested over $250 million in Indian startups across interactive entertainment, gaming, esports, and technology. Furthermore, KRAFTON has also launched the KRAFTON India Unicorn Growth Fund, a Rs 6,000 crore fund, set up jointly with South Korean technology giant, Naver and financial services major Mirae Asset, and which is aimed at supporting high-potential startups and accelerating the growth of India's next generation of global technology leaders. The company also actively supports game development talent through the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI), enabling emerging developers with funding, mentorship, and strategic guidance.
ABOUT IIT MADRAS
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of India as an 'Institute of National Importance.' The activities of the Institute in various fields of Science and Technology are carried out in 18 academic departments and several advanced interdisciplinary research academic centres. The Institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to B.Tech., M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Tech., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees in a variety of specialisations. IITM is a residential institute with more than 650 faculty and 10,000 students. Students from 18 countries are enrolled here. IITM fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM Incubation Cell.
Recognized as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) in 2019, IITM has been ranked No.1 in the 'Overall' Category for the Seven consecutive year in India Ranking 2025 released by National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. The Institute has also been ranked No.1 in the 'Engineering Institutions' category in the same Rankings for 10 consecutive years - from 2016 to 2025.
In addition, IIT Madras also secured first rank in the category of 'Sustainability Development Goals' (SDG), which was introduced in 2025 and also secured the #1 rank in the 'Innovations' category (previously known as Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements), improving upon its position of #2 in the same category the preceding year.
In 2023, IIT Madras became the first IIT to establish an international Campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania called 'IIT Madras Zanzibar'.
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