KRAFTON, the gaming giant behind PUBG, has officially acquired Eleventh Hour Games (EHG), the creators of the hit Action RPG Last Epoch. 
The deal is a strategic move aimed at solidifying KRAFTON’s foothold in the ARPG space, especially after recent controversy involving Subnautica 2 and its original developers.
Founded in 2017 by Judd Cobler through a grassroots Reddit recruitment effort, Eleventh Hour Games quickly gained momentum thanks to a successful 2018 Kickstarter campaign. Their passion project Last Epoch entered Early Access in 2019 and finally hit its full 1.0 release on February 21, 2024. Since then, the game has reportedly sold over 3 million copies.
According to KRAFTON’s statement, the acquisition provides EHG with “resources and infrastructure to better serve its community” while also scaling the game to consoles and expanding seasonal content. Despite the acquisition, EHG will maintain full creative control-a move meant to reassure fans after KRAFTON’s rocky handling of Unknown Worlds.
Maria Park, KRAFTON’s head of corporate development, called the acquisition a sign of their commitment to developers who prioritize players, perhaps taking a subtle jab at critics from the Subnautica 2 debacle. Meanwhile, Cobler described the move as “a dream come true,” emphasizing that KRAFTON’s love for ARPGs fits perfectly with EHG’s vision.
While many are cautiously optimistic, others recall KRAFTON’s strained relationship with Unknown Worlds, which soured over alleged payment disputes and delayed releases. Back then, Unknown Worlds co-founders had also praised KRAFTON’s support-until things unraveled.
Only time will tell if this new alliance remains as promising as it sounds, but for now, fans of Last Epoch can expect a larger budget, console ports, and a beefier roadmap, all under EHG’s continued direction.