PUBG, or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, was named the “Mobile Game of the Year” in 2018 at The Game Awards. It was one of the most popular games in India where it competed for the top grossing action game spot against the likes of Garena FreeFire and Call of Duty: Mobile. However, the game has had constant run-ins with Indian authorities. It was banned in 2020 along with another 117 China-based apps for violating Indian user privacy by illegally transferring their data to locations outside India. Now, its revamp, Battlegrounds Mobile India, has also been banned from Android and iOS devices in the country.
Sources to The Economic Times (via Dryotech and 91mobiles) report that the government ordered the takedown as allowed by Section 69A of the Information Technology Law which lays out priorities such as the sovereign interest, foreign relations, and publisher infractions. Google has confirmed that it is complying with an order to remove the game from the Play Store in India. BGMI has also been taken off Apple’s App Store as well.
Meanwhile, Krafton, the original South Korean studio that developed PUBG and is the publisher of BGMI, is seeking clarification on why the takedowns happened.
Various factors may have contributed to the government’s decision including lobbying from education-focused NGOs, media reports on cases such as one where a child killed his mother due to PUBG’s influence, and betting amongst young players (via News18) over competitive performance. Critics of Section 69A say it gives the government unreasonable latitude to take down apps.
Chinese conglomerate Tencent had developed PUBG Mobile and was managing the game in India prior to its initial takedown in September 2020. It subsequently transferred publishing rights to Krafton, which retitled the game as Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Krafton has spent more than $100 million in the Indian gaming sector and had release plans for further titles — plans that may be up in the air at the moment. Ironically, PUBG: New State Mobile game is still available for download in India.
The news has led to wide outrage amongst the Indian gaming community. As of when it was removed from app stores, BGMI had registered 100 million players. The ban has also affected esports teams’ preparations for upcoming tournaments such as the PUBG World Invitational event in Saudi Arabia.
There’s plenty of angst and anticipation on what concessions and changes Krafton can propose in order to get BGMI back into circulation. If you’re looking to get onto the battlefield, cross your fingers.
