Generative AI will change the way we develop video games. “It can be used to create voice actors, find bugs and create content,” Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India told The Hindu.
The Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) maker is planning to invest $150 million in India in gaming, Esports, and streaming sectors. “We are also looking to invest in generative AI firms because they’ve started to change the ways we are making games,” said Sohn.
As part of its investment plan, the game maker unveiled its incubator programme in October to grow game developer ecosystem through mentorship. Through it, the company aims to nurture six to ten game developers.
“There are areas which have not been explored by Indian game developers, but we will mentor and nurture them under this initiative. If they can make great games, we can publish them or we can acquire them,” said Sohn.
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On Esports, he said that while the level of excitement is high among Indian gamers, skills required are not upto the mark due to the short history of this category in India.
“Mobile gaming is growing very fast in countries like India, Brazil and Middle East. All these countries have mobile-centric gaming audiences. India has the potential to dominate mobile Esport ecosystem,” Sohn said.
On PC gaming, he said, it will be little tough for India, and pointed out that “In global Esports ecosystem, PC dominates mobile gaming.”
Mobile gaming is larger (played on around 4 billion devices globally) than PC and console combined (1 billion devices).
BGMI’s core team of engineers and designers is based in Seoul, Korea, and the company “has an Indian art team to localise theme.”
On BGMI ban and comeback, Sohn said, “Government is okay now with what we are doing here.” Most of gamers who left us during the ban have come back, he added.
BGMI was banned earlier as it was reportedly communicating with servers based in China.
On the question of BGMI servers, whether they are based in India or South Korea, Sohn declined to comment.
On PUBG’s return to India, Sohn said he does not have any answer.
On whether improved network infrastructure like 5G can help games like BGMI, he said, “The new technologies like 5G and 6G will also open up the opportunities for game developers and Krafton in India.”
