Krafton to open Uzbekistan office as 60% of population under 30

Krafton is establishing a local office in Uzbekistan to expand into emerging game markets. The strategy aims to preempt demand in the Central Asian market, leveraging a young demographic where 60% of the population is under 30.

According to Uzbekistan's state-run IT Park on Nov. 9, a delegation led by Jakhongir Radjabov, director of business development, recently visited Seoul and met with Krafton executives. The two sides focused on establishing a local office in Uzbekistan and co-hosting a large-scale game development hackathon next year.

The Uzbek delegation presented tax incentives and support programs for IT and game developers entering the country. Uzbekistan IT Park operates a system that exempts major taxes such as corporate tax for resident companies, aiming to attract global IT firms. If Krafton establishes a local office, it could significantly reduce operating costs and improve local market access for popular games like PUBG.

The two sides also discussed co-hosting a large-scale game development hackathon in Uzbekistan next year. The event is expected to attract local gamers and developers, raise awareness of Krafton's products, and identify outstanding talent in the Central Asian region. Krafton has previously held hackathons in various fields including artificial intelligence (AI) and game development both domestically and internationally to secure R&D talent.

Krafton assessed Uzbekistan as one of the most attractive markets for game developers. It explained that 60% of Uzbekistan's population is under 30, making them sensitive to the latest game trends, and this interest has the potential to lead to innovative game product development.

Krafton achieved record performance in the first half of this year, proving its capacity for global expansion. Revenue in the first half of 2026 was 2.6616 trillion won (about $2 billion) and operating profit was 972.5 billion won (about $715 million), up 73.3% and 38.3% respectively from the same period last year. The solid growth of its flagship IP PUBG, combined with the success of the new title Subnautica 2, drove the results. With ample financial resources, the company is accelerating its entry into new markets.

The Uzbek government is focusing on fostering its domestic IT industry by attracting global companies. At the recent Global Business Services Forum 2025 held in Tashkent, 237 global companies from 40 countries participated, underscoring the push to expand IT infrastructure. The IT Park delegation is expanding cooperation opportunities with global game companies through continuous engagement with foreign firms, including this visit.

(Dollar figures are approximate, converted automatically at 1,000 won = $0.735, the rate on Nov. 10, 2026.)

※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.