South Korean gaming company Krafton has launched KIGI Academy in partnership with IIT Madras to develop India’s next generation of game developers.
The six-month programme will combine academic learning with hands-on industry experience. It will include four months of on-site training at IIT Madras, followed by a two-month residency at Krafton India’s Bengaluru headquarters. The company will cover the programme costs.
The first cohort will include 30 students, with 10 selected for the residency phase. The inaugural batch is expected to begin in January 2027. The programme will focus on mobile game development, including skills in programming, design, UI and user experience.
Students will use the Unity engine and work on collaborative game builds. During the residency, selected participants will develop a game from concept to a playable vertical slice. Some participants may also get opportunities for full-time roles at Krafton India.
Krafton said the programme could eventually expand to other colleges, strengthening India’s game development talent pool as the country’s gaming market continues to grow.
