Gaming Pioneer Krafton Freezes Hiring During Major AI Push

Krafton Inc., which owns the studio that popularized the battle royale genre with PUBG, is freezing hiring temporarily in the latest sign that AI is forcing a rethink on the industry’s biggest players.

The company behind one of the hottest titles of past years is suspending recruitment to focus on an “AI-first” approach to development, executives said. On Tuesday, it posted a lower-than-anticipated 7.5% gain in September-quarter operating income, even with a 21% rise in revenue.