Battlegrounds Mobile India is expected to be the Indian version of PUBG Mobile, though the company hasn’t shared concrete launch dates yet.
The makers of PUBG Mobile are doing a really good job of keeping people interested in the game that was blocked in India last year. The company said PUBG Mobile will return to India in a new avatar soon, now revealed to be under the name, Battlegrounds Mobile India. The company has a website for the same, but hasn’t announced a launch date. It has promised investing in India’s growing esports ecosystem and more. Krafton, the game’s owner, has also said it will invest $100 million in India to set up India operations and build a team in the country. But is that enough? One must remember that in PUBG Mobile’s absence, games like COD Mobile and Garena Freefire have been gaining steam in the country. So, Krafton has more than enough reason to just keep reminding users that the popular game still exists. But being reminded of the same isn’t the same as actually bringing it back. Let’s look at the timeline of PUBG Mobile’s blocking in India, to understand why we think it’s nowhere close to returning. This is when things began for PUBG Mobile, but the story goes back to June last year. You see, apps like TikTok, Bigo Live, Helo, UC Browser and more have all been banned under the Section 69(A) of the IT Act. This part of India’s penal code gives the government the power to withdraw access to any service “in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence relating to above”. The government, in its order, has said that these apps pose a risk to India’s security. They also sent a list of 79 questions to these companies, asking for answers to specific questions about their business, how data is used and so on.
