According to engadget, South Korean games publisher Krafton—the company behind major titles like PUBG and Subnautica—has announced it’s transforming into an “AI first” company. As part of this shift, Krafton is implementing a voluntary resignation program aimed at reducing its workforce. The company is also freezing all hiring except for roles focused on developing original intellectual property and AI-related personnel. This strategic pivot comes despite Krafton reporting a significant 31% year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue, reaching nearly $500 million. CFO Bae Dong-geun explicitly stated that “individual productivity must increase at the company-wide level” during a recent earnings call.
Corporate Speak Meets Reality
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Krafton’s official language about “supporting members in proactively designing their growth direction” sounds awfully familiar. It’s basically the corporate version of “we’re not firing you, we’re giving you opportunities!” But when you combine voluntary resignations with hiring freezes and demands for increased productivity, the message becomes pretty clear. They’re trimming the human workforce to make room for their AI ambitions.
The AI Gamble
Krafton isn’t just dabbling in AI—they’re going all in. The company plans to “automate work centered on agentic AI” and develop an “AI-centered management system.” But here’s the thing: agentic AI systems haven’t exactly been setting the world on fire. A recent MIT study found these systems often struggle with basic tasks, and another analysis predicts 40% of agentic AI projects will be abandoned entirely. So Krafton is betting heavily on technology that’s still largely unproven at scale.
Follow the Money
What makes this particularly striking is the timing. Krafton isn’t doing this because they’re struggling financially—they just posted nearly half a billion dollars in quarterly revenue. Those profits apparently won’t be going toward rewarding the staff who helped generate them. Instead, the money is being funneled into “large-scale investments in AI.” It’s the classic corporate playbook: record profits followed by workforce reduction, all in the name of “transformation.”
Broader Implications
This move raises bigger questions about the gaming industry’s direction. When a publisher responsible for massive franchises like PUBG shifts focus this dramatically, it signals where they think the real value lies. Is it in nurturing creative talent and developing groundbreaking games? Or is it in automating processes and chasing AI efficiencies? Krafton seems to have made their choice. And honestly, I’m skeptical that replacing game developers with “agentic AI systems” will produce the next Subnautica.
