Will PUBG Ban in India?

PUBG Mobile Ban in India: Is the Government Going to Ban India’s Most Popular Game?

With the government reportedly taking a look at more than 275 Chinese apps for a potential ban, after a ban on over 100 apps has already been ordered, rumours are that PUBG Mobile could finally be banned in India. Many in the country seem set to welcome the new move, though Gadgets 360 is yet to receive a clarity on the matter. However, many fans of the game have been requesting the authorities to not include PUBG Mobile in any fresh list of banned apps.

The latest development comes just after the government reportedly banned 47 Chinese apps on Monday. That move was a follow-up of the earlier ban under which 59 Chinese apps were banned in favour of protecting “national interest and security” under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

Although the government didn't provide the list of apps it had banned under the new decision, it is said to be considering prohibiting PUBG Mobile among some other China-backed apps and games, including AliExpress, Ludo World, Resso, ULIke, and Zili. Other developers such as LBE Tech, Meitu, NetEase, Sina Corp, and Yoozoo Global.

“I believe that the high level of engagement will increase the number of professional gamers in the near future,” said Singh. “I believe the expansion of e-sports will certainly help in the growth of professional gamers.”

The majority of casual gamers is one of the reasons behind the growing popularity of PUBG Mobile as it gained fame mainly through word-of-mouth. It became so well known that different local administrations have banned it in the past, seeing it as detrimental to education. Back in January last year, the Gujarat government issued a circular to impose a ban on PUBG. That circular was supposedly for PUBG Mobile and not its PC version. It came just after a student's body in Jammu and Kashmir had sought a ban of PUBG Mobile, blaming it for resulting in their poor examination performance.

Would India get any impact from the PUBG Mobile ban?
One of the popular alternatives to PUBG Mobile is Fortnite. But since the latter requires more powerful hardware and doesn't perform well on entry-level Android devices, India is chiefly a PUBG-country so far. This is a major reason why many people are demanding the government to exclude PUBG Mobile from its banning plans. Many gamers are upset about its potential ban and expressing their views on social media.