Krafton Goes 'AI First': A Bold AI-Driven Vision for Gaming

Introduction

South Korean gaming giant Krafton has officially embraced an “AI First” strategy, signaling a major shift in how its games, including PUBG: Battlegrounds and Hi-Fi Rush, will be developed. Announced on October 24, 2025, via social media and an internal company event, this move positions artificial intelligence at the heart of both operations and creativity. Gamers and industry experts are now watching closely to see how AI will transform game development and player experiences.

Krafton says they are now an 'AI first' company

Franchises they own include 'PUBG' and 'Hi-Fi Rush' pic.twitter.com/h2lsOOeyxT

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) October 24, 2025

Krafton’s AI Investment: A 100 Billion Won Infrastructure

Krafton isn’t experimenting lightly. The company has allocated over 100 billion South Korean won (~$72 million USD) to build a cutting-edge GPU cluster powered by NVIDIA B300 chips. This infrastructure will run Agentic AI, capable of autonomous goal-setting, planning, and multi-step automation. Benefits include:

• Faster Asset Creation: Streamlining 3D models, textures, and animations.
• Dynamic In-Game Behaviors: AI-controlled NPCs and adaptive challenges.
• Improved Development Efficiency: Automating routine coding and QA tasks.

The roadmap is clear: by late 2026, Krafton plans to roll out a fully integrated AI platform across all studios, supplemented by training hubs, hackathons, and internal AI initiatives.

Three Pillars of AI Transformation

1. AI-First Culture: Encouraging experimentation, collaboration, and AI literacy across teams.
2. Innovative Workflows: Restructuring teams for agility, creating AI-specialized R&D units, and empowering employees to focus on creative challenges.
3. Growth and Opportunity: Reinvesting time saved from automation into new game projects, internal mobility, and player-focused innovation.

CEO Kim Chang-han emphasized that AI will handle mundane work so human talent can focus on creativity, aiming to set global benchmarks in AI-driven gaming operations.

Impact on Franchises: PUBG & Hi-Fi Rush

Fans of PUBG might see smarter NPCs, procedural map updates, or predictive matchmaking, enhancing live-service gameplay. For Hi-Fi Rush, AI could accelerate level design, soundtrack generation, and prototyping for sequels or expansions.

Tango Gameworks, acquired by Krafton in 2023, is also under the AI spotlight. While some welcome efficiency gains, others worry AI may dilute the human ingenuity that defined titles like Subnautica.

Community Reactions: Excitement and Concern

Social media reactions reflect both hope and skepticism:

• Supporters highlight efficiency and innovation.
• Critics fear AI could replace human creativity, harming beloved franchises.
• Memes and debates on X capture a tension between automation and artistic integrity, illustrating the broader industry dilemma: AI as a tool versus AI as a replacement.

FAQs

Q1: What does “AI First” mean for Krafton?

A1: It means AI will drive operations, development workflows, and some creative processes, letting human teams focus on high-level creativity.

Q2: Will AI affect PUBG gameplay?

A2: Potentially yes. Expect smarter NPCs, dynamic events, and AI-assisted matchmaking.

Q3: Could Hi-Fi Rush lose its unique art style?

A3: Krafton intends to use AI to enhance creativity, but some fans fear over-automation may reduce the handcrafted feel.

Q4: Is this strategy unique to Krafton?

A4: While other studios experiment with AI, Krafton’s “AI First” approach is unprecedented in scale and investment.

Conclusion

Krafton’s leap into an AI-first future is both ambitious and risky. With billions invested, the company could redefine game development, accelerating production and unlocking new creative possibilities. Yet the human element—the storytelling, intuition, and artistry—remains critical. Gamers, developers, and industry observers now face a pivotal question: can AI enhance human creativity without replacing the magic that makes games memorable? The next few years will reveal whether Krafton’s bold vision becomes a benchmark for the industry—or a cautionary tale about automation in art.