South Korean video game company Krafton has acquired Thingsflow Inc, the interactive production company behind chat-based content platform Hellobot, for an undisclosed fee.
Krafton is the owner of popular battle royale shooter PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and consists of PUBG Studio, Bluehole Studio, Striking Distance Studios, RisingWings, and Dreamotion.
Hellobot, which has more than four million users across Korea and Japan, allows people to engage with bot-driven characters through dedicated apps and messenger services. Krafton said the deal reinforces its commitment to "leading and innovating" within the interactive entertainment industry, and intends to work with Thingsflow to support existing services and develop new business models.
"Thingsflow is equipped with deep insights about content consumption trends that we can leverage to create new and innovative experiences for audiences globally," said Krafton CEO, Changhan Kim. "The company has a demonstrated history of successfully applying cutting-edge AI technologies to various services. Through Krafton's partnership with Thingsflow, we hope to build an exciting future full of joy through unique experiences only we can offer."
The PUBG owner added that Thingsflow chief exec Suji Lee will continue to lead the company moving forward, while also overseeing the expansion of Between -- a couple messaging service that was also recently acquired by Krafton.
Krafton has made a number of notable moves in recent months, having invested in Indian game streaming app Loco and acquired mobile studio Dreamotion for an undisclosed fee.