Krafton

Leading South Korean game publisher globally known for PUBG; entered Japanese advertising and animation market via ADK Holdings acquisition in 2025

Krafton is a South Korean video game developer and publisher best known for creating PUBG: Battlegrounds, one of the best-selling and most-played games in history. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Seoul, Krafton has grown into a major global gaming company with multiple studios and a diverse portfolio of titles spanning battle royale, survival, and other genres. The company went public on the Korea Stock Exchange in 2021 in one of South Korea's largest-ever IPOs. In 2025, Krafton significantly expanded its footprint into advertising and media by acquiring ADK Holdings (Asatsu-DK), a leading Japanese advertising agency and animation production group, from Bain Capital Japan through the purchase of ADK's parent holding company BCJ-31. ADK is one of Japan's largest advertising agencies, with deep roots in television advertising, media buying, and animation production — having co-produced iconic anime franchises. This acquisition positions Krafton at the intersection of gaming, animation IP, and advertising, enabling cross-media content strategies that span games, animated properties, and marketing services. The ADK acquisition gives Krafton direct access to advertising agency capabilities, media planning and buying infrastructure, and animation IP development — making it a meaningful participant in the Japanese and broader Asian advertising and media ecosystem. Krafton's strategic rationale centers on building a global entertainment and IP company where gaming content, animated adaptations, and advertising/marketing services reinforce one another.