You’ve seen the headline: KRAFTON has officially bought “Last Epoch” developer, Eleventh Hour Games. Now, maybe it just feels like just another business move in a long list of buyouts. But for long-time ARPG fans, indie game lovers, and even MMO players burnt by corporate pivots, this one actually hits different.
After all, “Last Epoch” and its developer Eleventh Hour Games was a rare example of a studio listening, learning, and building alongside its players. And with this acquisition, that’s exactly what’s at stake now.
KRAFTON Bought “Last Epoch” Developer, Eleventh Hour Games: A $95M Bet on a Growing ARPG Underdog
Let’s start with the facts. On July 24, 2025, Korean publisher KRAFTON officially announced its full acquisition of Eleventh Hour Games (EHG)—the studio behind “Last Epoch”—for $95.97 million USD (approx. ₩132.4 billion KRW).
EHG, founded in 2018, turned its once Kickstarter-born ARPG into a breakout success, with over 3 million units sold globally.
The game’s rise wasn’t just about numbers. It earned its following through a rare balance of mechanical depth and accessibility—sitting comfortably between “Path of Exile“’s complexity and “Diablo 4“‘s polish. But on top of everything was its developer transparency, frequent community updates, and a commitment to design driven by gameplay, not monetization metrics.
Which is exactly why the news of the buyout stirred up a very different conversation—not on press releases, but across forums, Reddit threads, and Discord channels.
The Community Knows This Pattern Too Well
If you’ve been part of any fandom long enough, you’ve probably seen this movie before:
- The small studio gets traction.
- A major publisher notices.
- A deal is made.
- Things slowly begin to change.
The skepticism from fans isn’t paranoia—it’s pattern recognition. Players remember what happened with “Unknown Worlds,” “Grinding Gear Games,” and countless others who made promises to “stay the same.”
KRAFTON’s current legal dispute with the developers of “Subnautica 2” only fuels the unease. Accusations of executive firings, early access delays, and a staggering $250 million payout dispute with “Unknown Worlds” have already tainted the publisher’s image in some corners of the community.
Therefore, with this new acquisition, fans of “Last Epoch” are asking the same hard questions: Will it happen again?
What “Last Epoch” Developer Eleventh Hour Games Is Saying—And Why It Still Matters
To their credit, Eleventh Hour Games responded immediately. In forum posts and community threads, CEO Judd Cobler reassured players that KRAFTON isn’t trying to change the studio, emphasizing that Eleventh Hour Games chose this publisher because of its alignment with the company’s long-term mission.
“Krafton isn’t looking to change us – we went out seeking a partner and they were the most aligned in the mission and enabling us.
Developing these games are way more expensive than most people think with 100 heads, server expenses, tooling, etc. This is very positive for the team and franchise’s future.”
Judd Cobler, CEO and Founder of Eleventh Hour Games.
Along with the message, he has promised continued creative control, a hiring spree, and no fundamental changes to the team structure. The studio’s current leadership will remain in place.
But promises aren’t what fans are worried about. It’s the pressure that builds after the promises are made—when investor meetings start, quarterly targets creep in, and passion projects are asked to “scale.”
KRAFTON x Eleventh Hour Games Partnership: What You Should Be Watching
The latest partnership between KRAFTON and “Last Epoch” developer, Eleventh Hour Games, reflects more than just the game itself. This is about where the ARPG genre—and indie-led gaming more broadly—is heading.
Now, if you’re a player who values innovation over monetization, here are the early warning signs worth keeping an eye on:
1. Changes in Monetization Models
EHG previously focused on cosmetics-only microtransactions and avoided pay-to-win structures. Will KRAFTON push for premium battle passes, stat-tracked gear skins, or lootbox mechanics like they’ve done in PUBG?
2. Delays in Communication
One of “Last Epoch”’s strongest pillars was its developer transparency. Frequent dev blogs, roadmap updates, and open devstreams built trust. If those begin to slow or feel filtered, it may signal a shift in priorities.
3. Leadership Turnover
Today, the founding team is still in place. But corporate integrations often take time. Watch for quiet exits or restructures that may indicate deeper interference behind the scenes.
4. Live Service Focus Over Depth
If “Last Epoch” leans too hard into seasonal hype, FOMO marketing, or “retention” loops over content depth, it could be a sign of design decisions made for metrics—not players.
Why This Acquisition Isn’t Black or White
Here’s something most coverage isn’t saying: this move wasn’t just about selling out, really. It may have been more about survival.
Running an ARPG in today’s landscape is a brutally expensive game. You’re competing against giants like “Path of Exile 2,” “Diablo,” and Tencent-backed studios with near-limitless resources. Even Reddit commenters noted that EHG likely needed serious backing just to stay in the ring.
Yes, that doesn’t excuse what could happen—but it does frame the choice with empathy.
In short: EHG didn’t necessarily want to be bought. But they might not have had a choice if they wanted “Last Epoch” to keep evolving.
What Makes This Move So Important to Korean Gaming Strategy
From KRAFTON’s side, the acquisition will become an incredibly strategic play to expand IP portfolio diversity.
KRAFTON is still largely associated with “PUBG” and its battle royale ecosystem—even after launching InZOI. Therefore, with this move, they will gain a globally respected franchise in a completely different genre.
And if they handle it well, “Last Epoch” could become KRAFTON’s flagship Western fantasy RPG IP, expanding beyond PC into console ports, transmedia, and potentially Korean crossover markets.
Not only that, but it’s also notable that KRAFTON is allowing Eleventh Hour Games to operate semi-independently. And that’s a calculated decision—after public backlash from the “Subnautica 2” incident, the company knows its next acquisition must appear hands-off, at least in the early stages.
KRAFTON & “Last Epoch” Acquisition: What This Means for You—Right Now
If you’re a “Last Epoch” player, you don’t need to uninstall your client or throw your supporter pack in the trash.
The game, for now, is intact. And if anything, the next few months might bring more content, bigger updates, and better polish than ever before.
But this is also the most important time to pay attention.
Big changes don’t always happen overnight. They happen in quiet roadmap adjustments, in forum replies that take longer, in cosmetics that cost a bit more. And most of all, in the values that slowly fade once metrics replace mission.
So, play “Last Epoch”. Enjoy it. Support the team you believe in.
But still, stay awake. Because if things begin to shift, it will be a complete transformation. And you’ll want to be there to see whether that transformation serves the game or swallows it instead.
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