Krafton Acquires Japanese Anime Giant ADK for 75 Billion Yen

Krafton, a well-known South Korean game publisher, has acquired the prominent Japanese advertising and animation group ADK. ADK is one of the top three Japanese advertising firms, with the acquisition of this firm, Krafton will be extending its portfolio. 

Key Highlights

• Krafton acquires top Japanese animation firm ADK for 75 billion yen
• Deal marks first major anime studio purchase by a South Korean company
• Krafton aims to blend gaming and animation to create new interactive IPs

The South Korean company has acquired the animation firm in a deal of 75 billion yen (USD 517 million). ADK has produced more than 300 anime titles which include popular shows such as Doraemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Crayon Shin-chan. The company has been generating an annual transactional volume of 348 billion yen. 

This move from Krafton makes it the first South Korean company to own a major Japanese anime studio, highlighting the strategic expansion of Krafton and changing dynamics for Korean gaming companies. The gaming company had a name for the famous PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

READ MORE: Hibrid Partners with Alibaba Cloud to Boost Streaming Services in Middle East

Chief Executive of Krafton, Kim Chang-han said, “This acquisition is not just about expanding our content library. It’s about building a platform for storytelling that transcends mediums. We plan to leverage ADK’s rich legacy in animation and our expertise in global game publishing to create new forms of interactive IP.”

This acquisition has allowed Krafton to expand its operations, without limiting itself to game publishing. As the deal aligns with the company’s broader strategy, Krafton is planning to strengthen its presence in the market of Asia. Previously, the company had acquired the Indian controlling stake of the Indian gaming studio Nautilus Mobile and other partnerships in Southeast Asia.