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The Indian government placed a ban on PUBG Mobile sometime in September and the game has not been available to players in India since then. Recent reports, however, suggest that effort is being made by PUBG Mobile’s parent company, Krafton, to ensure a return to India.
PUBG was one of the several mobile applications banned in the country as a result of the political tension between China and India. The popularity of the game in India did not save it from being cut down like others were. Plans are currently being made by Krafton to return their gaming jewel to India.
The primary concern that led to the ban by the Indian government was about data security. The PUBG Corporation has found a way to address this concern by penning a deal with Microsoft Azure for its servers. This will ensure that all servers hosting PUBG Mobile’s data will be in India.
A few changes will be made to the game as it returns to India. First, it will be titled PUBG Mobile India. Also, there will be specific adjustments as it relates to the Indian market. Furthermore, the issue of addiction and violence which was also a bother to the Indian government will have the blood display as green and also set a limit on playtime. It is possible that these features are just being mirrored to the PUBG Mobile India as they are all available in the Chinese version.
The gaming corporation is also determined to strengthen the esports ecosystem in India by investing $100 million. Indian events will also be hosted exclusively by PUBG. It cannot be said conclusively that these changes will satisfy the Indian regulators but it looks like a step in the right direction and a conscious effort to address all previous concerns on the board.
The Effects of the Ban on India
PUBG mobile had over 33 million active users which made it the most played Battle Royale game in India. Some of these users are popular streamers on YouTube. One of such, MortaL, sees the ban as only a setback and not the end of gaming in India. He also had a safety concern which is part of the reasons he supports the ban, stressing that the safety of the country is most important.
However, some other users have been heartbroken by the ban and feel like there is nothing left for them in the gaming world. It also became an unhealthy obsession for a few. There was a case of suicide on the 6th of September, just a few days after the ban. His mother came out to say that it was frustration that led to her son’s suicide as he was unable to play PUBG.
The ban at the time might have seemed like a major setback in the Indian pro gaming scene but if Krafton can please the Indian regulators with their updates, the damage might not be as much as anticipated.
As these changes have been made and communication opened with the Indian regulators, the gaming community is hopeful that the game will be approved and allowed to return to India soon.