PUBG-maker Krafton offers voluntary resignation amid AI-first strategy shift
What's the story
PUBG's parent company, Krafton, is offering a voluntary resignation program to its employees in South Korea. The move comes as part of its transition into an "AI-first" organization. The company has announced generous exit packages for those who choose to leave voluntarily. This comes after Krafton's ambitious plan to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) and build advanced infrastructure across the company.
Severance details
Generous severance packages offered to departing employees
The voluntary resignation program offers a generous severance package to departing employees. Those with less than a year at the company could get around six months' salary, while veterans with over 11 years could walk away with up to three years of pay. This is unusually high for the gaming industry and seems intended to ease the effects of a major internal change.
Clarification
Krafton clarifies resignation program is not a layoff
Krafton has clarified that the voluntary resignation program isn't a covert layoff. A company spokesperson said the initiative is meant to give employees space to decide whether they want to stay with the company as it takes a dramatically different direction. However, the broader context of this move shows that Krafton is reshaping its workforce from within by putting hiring on hold for most roles except those related to new intellectual property and AI.
Industry impact
Krafton's AI-first strategy and its impact on the gaming industry
The gaming industry has been divided over AI, with some studios seeing it as a tool to speed up production while others fearing job losses or diluted creativity. Krafton's decision to embrace automation and AI-driven development puts it in the camp of companies betting heavily on these technologies. However, it's too early to tell how this will affect upcoming games or existing teams at Krafton.