Krafton launches voluntary resignation program weeks after declaring its ‘AI-first company’ future

In October, PUBG and Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton announced that it would be undergoing a “complete reorganization” to become an “AI-first” company, planning to invest over 130 billion won ($88 million) in agentic AI infrastructure and deployment beginning in 2026. This week, as it boasts record-breaking quarterly profits, the Korean publisher has followed that strategic shift by launching a voluntary resignation program for its domestic employees, according to Business Korea reporting (via Automaton).

The program, announced internally, offers substantial buyouts for domestic Krafton employees based on their length of employment at the publisher. Severance packages range from 6 months’ salary for employees with one year or less of service to 36 months’ salary for employees who’ve worked at Krafton for over 11 years.

Whatever Krafton calls it, it remains unclear whether the games industry’s recent gambling on AI automation is capable of paying off. Recent reports indicate that current AI tech—while being used as a justification for layoffs—is making developers miserable at major publishers like EA by creating more frustrations than productivity gains.

Elsewhere, Krafton remains tangled in its messy lawsuit with the ousted founders of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds, who accuse the publisher of sabotaging the game’s development to avoid paying their $250 million earnout. Krafton maintains that it’s “focused on developing Subnautica 2 and delivering the best possible experience to players.”

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