KB News Desk
Krafton said Thursday it has made a strategic investment in Neon Commerce, a global game commerce infrastructure firm, as the Korean game developer moves to build its own payment ecosystem and strengthen direct engagement with players worldwide.
Building on the partnership with Neon Commerce, Krafton plans to accelerate the development of its proprietary payment system and bolster its global commerce capabilities.
“This investment is an important step toward building more direct relationships with our fans around the world,” said Thomas Ko, head of the publishing platform division at Krafton.
“It gives us greater flexibility to create better purchasing experiences, deliver more value directly to fans and continue strengthening the connections that matter most to our communities.”
Neon Commerce previously announced a $13 million Series A funding round, which included Krafton alongside other investors. The exact amount of Krafton’s investment was not disclosed. Neon Commerce has raised a total of $27 million since its establishment in 2022.
Neon Commerce provides infrastructure that enables game publishers to establish, operate and expand direct-to-player commerce platforms. Its services include an integrated payment platform that connects multiple payment methods, tools for managing country-specific tax and regulatory requirements and infrastructure for publishers to operate their own online storefronts.
The platform is designed to simplify the purchasing experience for players and allow game companies to strengthen direct customer relationships without relying on third-party distribution platforms.
“Krafton is behind some of the world’s most successful game franchises, making them an ideal partner to help define the next generation of player engagement,” said Chris Faught, founder and CEO of Neon Commerce.
“Our focus has been to deliver the scale, flexibility, and control that game companies need to operate sophisticated direct-to-consumer businesses, without a heavy operational burden or compromising the player experience. What we prove together with Krafton becomes the blueprint for the rest of the industry.”
