India Restricts Access to Krafton's PUBG Alternative

The Indian government has taken steps to block Battlegrounds Mobile India, a localized version of the popular game PUBG. According to a report by Reuters, which cites a government source, the ban stems from concerns over "national security" related to data sharing and collection by Chinese entities, given that Krafton, the game's developer, has a significant stake owned by Chinese technology firm Tencent. The government has exercised its authority under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, allowing it to restrict access to content deemed a threat to national security. Although the Indian government has not publicly confirmed the ban, the game is no longer available for download on the Google Play Store or the App Store as of Thursday evening. A spokesperson for Krafton has acknowledged the delisting, stating that the company is seeking clarification on the matter. This development comes two years after PUBG Mobile was banned in India, along with over 100 other apps linked to Chinese companies, due to concerns over user privacy. In response to the initial ban, PUBG Corp announced plans to self-publish in India, removing Tencent from the equation. However, the Indian government maintained that the ban would not be lifted, citing the risk these apps posed to national security due to their data collection practices. In an attempt to circumvent the ban, PUBG Corp introduced a customized version of the game for the Indian market in November 2020, but this too faced calls for a ban from local politicians.