Xociety Secures $7.5 Million in Pre-Series A Funding, Backed by PUBG Publisher Krafton

NDUS Interactive, the South Korean developer behind the Web3 "Pop Shooter" game Xociety, has successfully raised $7.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round. This significant investment was led by prominent Web3 venture capital firm Hashed and the Sui Foundation, with notable participation from Krafton, the developer and publisher of the globally acclaimed game PUBG: Battlegrounds. The funding underscores growing investor confidence in Xociety's vision to merge high-fidelity gaming with blockchain technology.

The Xociety founding team brings over 50 years of collective Web2 experience from leading Asian gaming companies, including NCSOFT, Nexon, and Krafton itself. According to a tweet by Steve Lee, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Neoclassic Capital, an investor in the round, the team's "Web3 knowledge and expertise are exceptionally strong." This combination of traditional gaming prowess and blockchain understanding is seen as a crucial driver for the game's potential mainstream adoption.

Krafton's involvement as an investor highlights its strategic push into the Web3 gaming space. The company has been actively exploring and investing in blockchain and deep tech initiatives, aiming to secure and expand powerful game-based intellectual properties. Xociety, built on the Sui blockchain and utilizing Unreal Engine 5, aligns with Krafton's broader strategy to innovate within the evolving digital entertainment landscape.

Xociety is designed as a AAA 3rd-person shooter integrating RPG elements, dynamic PvP, and immersive PvE experiences, emphasizing player ownership through NFTs and an in-game corporation system. The game recently launched its $XO token on major exchanges like Bybit and Binance Alpha on June 26, 2025. This follows a high-profile partnership in May 2025 with Adidas, which introduced limited-edition NFT mystery boxes containing in-game apparel and tokens.

The development team, led by industry veterans such as Myoungjin Lee (Creative Artist, author of Ragnarok original), Sang Chung (Business Director, former Head of PlayDapp), and Jeffry Kim (Chief Producer), aims to create a sustainable player engagement model. Xociety seeks to overcome common Web3 gaming challenges by prioritizing robust gameplay and a balanced economic system. The pre-Series A funding will accelerate its development and market entry, positioning it as a key player in the future of blockchain gaming.