PUBG, or PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS game confirmed that there is a new version of the game called PUBG Mobile India that is in the works. Gamers in India can breathe a sigh of relief, after a torrid time over the past few months without their favorite battle royale game, after the Government of India banned the game as part of a crackdown on Chinese owned smartphone apps. PUBG Corporation says that PUBG Mobile India has been created specifically for the Indian market, with data privacy and the security of Indian gamers being top priority.
Needless to say, PUBG Mobile was incredibly popular in India before it was yanked away from the lives of gamers in India. In fact, around 25% of all of PUBG’s global gamer base came from India—with online analytics firm SensorTower confirming in numbers over the summer that PUBG has seen more than 175 million game installation in India—these are numbers from September, just before the ban was announced.
PUBG Corporation announced that a new game called PUBG Mobile India is in the works. They say various aspects of the game have been tweaked for India. “Various aspects of the game will be customized for Indian gamers, such as the game now being set in a virtual simulation training ground, new characters automatically starting clothed, and green hit effects to reflect the virtual nature of the game. More importantly, the company will include a feature that places restrictions on game time to promote healthy gameplay habits for younger players,” says the developer, in an official statement.
PUBG Corporation’s parent company KRAFTON will also be investing $100 million in India to push video games, esports as well as the entertainment and IT industries. Also, the PUBG Mobile India game will be under a new Indian subsidiary.
The first teaser shared by PUBG Mobile India shows three famous Indian PUBG Mobile gamers who go by the names Dynamo, Kronten, and Jonathan being bored, probably thinking about PUBG Mobile and missing it while doing regular daytime tasks like cooking, having tea, or just sitting on a couch. Each clip is supported with subtitles saying 'Missing the excitement?,' 'Missing the Pan?,' 'Missing the Thrill?,' and 'Missing the Chicken Dinner?'. Each clip is separated by a PUBG Mobile India logo and a 'coming soon' chapter plate.
At this time, we do not exactly know when the PUBG Mobile India game will actually release. The developers have only said the game is “coming soon”, at this time. It is also not clear at this time whether PUBG Corporation or its Indian subsidiary have the necessary approvals and permissions from the Government of India, or await the same.
