A few weeks ago, Krafton announced the return of the banned PUBG Mobile as Battlegrounds Mobile India, a region-specific variant explicitly tailored for Indian users. The pre-registration process began May 18 on Google Play Store.
But even as the company has indicated that an iOS version of the game is in the making, pressure is being brought to bear upon the Indian government to ban the launch of Battlegrounds Mobile India on the grounds that it is just PUBG in a new avatar.
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Krafton is silent
But first things first. The developers of the game have already indicated that once Battlegrounds Mobile India's Androind version is out, its iOS avatar will soon follow suit.
As of now, there is no official word on the launch date of Battlegrounds Mobile India. As we said, its pre-registration is now live on Play Store. Those doing so stand to get additional benefits and extra rewards.
The developers while hinting that the game will be made available for Apple users, too, have not mentioned any date for pre-registration on the App Store. But it is also said that Apple users may have no pre-registration process and will be allowed to download the game directly after its launch.
Krafton recently replied to various queries about the game in the support section of the official website of Battlegrounds Mobile India.
But the company is so far silent on the new chorus for its ban.
Indian parliamentarians go for the jugular
Late last week, former Union Minister and current Arunachal Pradesh MLA Ninong Ering has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Modi, seeking a ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India. Arunachal Pradesh, for the record, is the border State of India where Indian and Chinese troops waged a low-intensity battle last year, triggering a host of belligerent events and bans between the two countries,
In his letter, Ering said Battlegrounds Mobile India is just the relaunch of PUBG Mobile. "The terms and conditions of the Google Play Store listing of Battlegrounds Mobile India mention the term ‘PUBG Mobile’", he claimed.
He further alleged that Krafton India has employed workers from Tencent, the Chinese company that was the main investor of PUBG Mobile India.
The baton was then picked up by seasoned politician and MP Abhishek Singhvi, who alleged that Battlegrounds Mobile India’s release allows Tencent’s re-entry into the Indian gaming market.
Both the politicos said that the 'comeback' of Tencent would be a security risk for India.
