KRAFTON Doubles Down on Indian Gaming With New KIGI Cohort Featuring Six Indie Studios Six innovative Indian studios—Kleanup, Advaita, Singular Scheme, Smash Head, Unwind, and Ginger Games—are reshaping gaming with diverse titles, blending unique genres, storytelling, and tech for global releases by 2026.

KRAFTON India is doubling down on its mission to shape the future of India's gaming ecosystem with the launch of the second cohort under the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI). Following the successful debut of its inaugural batch, KIGI has expanded its latest cohort to include six innovative startups, reflecting its growing reach across emerging gaming hubs such as Kolkata, Madurai, and Hyderabad.

KIGI offers financial support of up to USD 150,000 and mentorship spanning six to twelve months, aiming to empower indie developers to create globally competitive games. These startups receive strategic backing from leading tech partners like AWS, AccelByte, AppMagic, and Liftoff's GameRefinery, who provide essential infrastructure and tools to help developers scale and succeed.

Meet the Six Studios Shaping India's Gaming Future:

Kleanup Games, based in Madurai, is developing CHROMADI, a fast-paced, retro-inspired shoot-'em-up. Spearheaded by Jaiwanth Shanmugam, the game integrates color-mixing mechanics with old-school arcade thrills, accompanied by original music from Niranjan Nair. A full release is expected in 2026.

From Kolkata, Advaita Interactive is crafting Inspectorium, a hidden object detective game set in a steampunk version of Victorian Calcutta. Led by Judhajit Sarkar, the game features real-time AI interrogations and immersive puzzles, launching across PC, mobile, and VR platforms between 2025 and 2026.

Mumbai-based Singular Scheme, led by Ahad Oomerbhoy, is working on Frontier Paladin, a unique RPG fused with action tower-defense gameplay. Set in a mythical battlefield, it promises a blend of intense strategy and epic storytelling.

Smash Head Studio, a seasoned team from Bengaluru, is prepping Cricket Rivals—a real-time multiplayer mobile cricket game that brings high-speed, competitive gameplay to global audiences, modernizing the traditional sport for new-age players.

Unwind Games, based in Hyderabad and co-founded by Jayant Shukla and Khozema Abuwala, is creating BaoBao's Journey, a cozy puzzle game featuring a panda protagonist on a mission to build his dream mountain lodge. The game combines emotional storytelling with soothing gameplay.

Rounding off the cohort, Ginger Games from New Delhi is developing Monkey Mayhem. Founded in 2024 by Shrey Mishra, Sumit Batheja, and Piyush Kumar, this hybrid casual action-adventure game features the spirited monkey Piklu navigating through chaotic biomes in an auto-shooter adventure, releasing in February 2026.

The new cohort follows the promising journey of KIGI's first batch, with games from ReDimension Games, Shura Games, and Dunali Games already live or in soft launch. Arjuna Studios is also nearing release, marking a significant milestone for the Indian indie scene.

Anuj Sahani, Head of the KIGI program, said "We are equipping developers with the resources to build globally resonant games." Echoing this sentiment, Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of KRAFTON India, said, "We're championing a future where Indian developers are setting global trends."

With continued support and a broadened ecosystem, KIGI's second cohort is poised to push India into the forefront of global game development, nurturing a new era of creativity, cultural storytelling, and technological excellence.