PUBG Mobile Plans To Invest $100 Million In India Following National Ban

Playing video games is not a mere hobby anymore. Many professional gamers have made a career out of esports. An example of a popular video game is the South Korean video-game, PUBG.  This online game had its highest number of downloads from India. However, the game was banned in the country due to cybersecurity concerns. Are there any plans to return it to the Indian market? Please read on to find out more about this game, its ban, and the plans it has for its fans and gamers in India.

The South-Korean PUBG
Player Unknown's Battle Grounds (PUBG) is a popular online multiplayer video game. It was developed and published by PUBG Corporation. The designer and director of the game are Brendan Greene. It is developed by Tencent Games under Blue Hole, Korea. How did Greene come up with the name? Well, he was a gamer and used a gaming tag of Player Unknown. Besides, the game he developed has battlegrounds hence the name PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. It offers battle royal games and shooter games. The game is available on platforms such as Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, XboxOne, PlayStation 4, and Stadia. Furthermore, it has a ranking system that places players in tiers based on their skill level and points earned. Its price on iOS and Android is $29.99. It is important to note that some of the places in the building are real, not all are fictitious. For example, Pochinki is in Russia and Shelter is an abandoned storage of nuclear weapons at Feodosia, Ukraine.
This is one of the most popular battles royal titles played around the world. Its gamers crave for the phrase "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" on their screens to pronounce their win. Moreover, it had the highest downloads from India. Despite the huge number of users from India, it got banned in the country. Why? Please read on to find out more.
PUBG Ban in India
The ban on India's most popular gaming app, PUBG was imposed on September 2.  There are other 117 apps which faced the same outcome. This was due to the apps' link to China. The Indian government said that PUBG was engaging in activities that were prejudicial to the county's sovereignty, hence the ban.  Both PUBG Mobile and PUBG Lite were removed from Google Play and Apple App Store in India. The ban was imposed under section 69A of the IT Act. It was done to protect the interests of Indian mobile users.
 After the ban was imposed, PUBG Corporation, a unit of a South Korean firm behind the game announced to take away Tencent's license to deny its rights to publish the game in India. However, this changed nothing. A cause of complaint was also the violent nature of the game. Therefore, changing ownership rights did nothing to change the situation. Another reason why the apps were banned was that they collect user data thus pose threat to security.  Such cybersecurity concerns are among the reasons behind the ban.
The ban followed by the move by PUBG Corporation to deny Tencent Games license pushed PUBG Mobile to announce their Facebook page in India that Tencent Games would no longer offer their services and access to their users in India.  This was a blow to both the game company and the gamers too. However, the game was accessible to the users who had installed the apps on their devices. This ban had adverse effects on the users considering that at the time of the ban, it was the most downloaded app with about 200 million downloads and 50 million users. Moreover, it affected the esports tournaments which were scheduled by PUBG Mobile. Since the effects are that adverse, are there any plans put in place to serve this huge market once again?
PUBG's Plans to Return and Invest in India
There has been lots of speculation on what PUBG Mobile has in store for its gamers in India and the Indian government too.  It is important to note that PUBG has to get the Indian government's permission before returning to the market. What are the plans they've put in place? Are there any investments in the country's infrastructure they plan to make? Let's find out.
The spokeswoman for PUBG Corporation in South Korea said they're reviewing the concerns raised by India to make improvements where need be. This is to ensure that they have the interests of Indian users at heart. Furthermore, there are plans of having PUBG rights owned by PUBG Corporations in India. The developers of the game also promise to launch a new game, PUBG Mobile India. The new game will maximize data security and cater to the interests and preferences of Indian users.  It is created specifically for the Indian market.
Among their top priorities is ensuring the privacy and security of players. This will be achieved by regular verifications on the storage system with users' information to ensure security and safe data management. In so doing, they ensure there is cybersecurity. Other than the amazing plans to protect their users, there are several investment plans to help the infrastructure of the country too. PUBG plans on hosting India's esports events featuring numerous tournaments. Furthermore, hiring over 100 employees in business, esports, and game development is among the plans. Also, PUBG Mobile wants to create an Indian subsidiary to enhance communication and services offered to its players. Most importantly, it plans to invest $ 100million to help improve and help the local video games, esports, entertainment, information, and technology industries.
All these are plans put in place by PUBG. However, the government maintains and is not yet convinced with the changes made by the PUBG Corporation. The decision of uplifting the ban and allowing PUBG back has not yet been made.
PUBG Mobile is a very popular game. Following its ban in India, it has lost a lot. Surprisingly though, it appears like the ban increased its fame. The fans and players in India still wait in anticipation. They'll have to be patient before they see "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" back on their screens once again. Who knows what PUBG Mobile has in store for them?

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