Background
The love of many Indians, the battle royale video game PUBG was banned late
last year citing security reasons. The game has Chinese ownership and users’
data may be stored and processed in China.
Thus, the Indian government thought it better to ban the app with the privacy policy and data handling at the time.
Aftermath to the ban
When the ban was initiated, there was a hue and cry among the lovers of the game. Also, alternative games on similar theme spring up on the app stores.
Names like Fortnite, Free Fire and FAU-G are known to all players of battle royale format.
Further, those who wanted PUBG only began to play using international versions of the game.
Hope never dies
Still, the hope that India will have its own official version of PUBG never died among the fans and game users are looking up to the government and the game developers to sort out their issues.
Some good news?
Krafton is the company having a controlling stake in PUBG.
During the India Gaming Conference 2021, Sean Hyunil Sohn, Head of Corporate Development at Krafton said, “I cannot tell the timing or anything because we don’t know yet.”
Also read: Bad news for your pocket? WPI inflation hits 27-month high
Sean Hyunil Sohn continued, “But what I can tell you is, we care about the Indian market greatly, and also that’s how I get to know you and get to know friends in the Indian gaming industry now. So definitely, we will work hard to make it happen.”
So, pre-registrations?
No, the company is clear that firstly they want to get themselves reinstated in the Indian marketplace.
Pre-registrations or latest updates to the video game are not an issue for the company, getting approved is.
Thus, to be clear, the latest iteration of PUBG, PUBG: New State will not be offered in India.
An India-specific version, and indefinite waiting...
Hints were given that indicate that for the Indian users, a “new PUBG app specifically developed and serviced for India” will be made. This could be to fulfil the safety norms of the Indian authorities so that Indians can be protected data crimes.
In this regard a Krafton official said, “With Krafton doing everything it can to prepare for the launch of a new PUBG app specifically developed and serviced for India, it has decided not to include pre-registration for PUBG: New State in India.”
It will be comforting to fans of the game that the company is burning midnight oil to get itself back in the Indian app stores.