PUBG Mobile India Comeback: All Your Questions Answered

Krafton's Gaming Success and PUBG Mobile's India Return

Krafton, currently preparing for an initial public offering, has established a substantial presence within the gaming industry. Should the company successfully raise its targeted $5 billion through the IPO, it would represent the largest public offering in South Korea’s history.

PUBG Mobile's Re-entry into the Indian Market

Beyond this financial milestone, Krafton has achieved another significant accomplishment. Its popular game, PUBG Mobile, has been reintroduced to India, despite being prohibited for over nine months.

Last year, India, the world’s second-largest internet market, banned more than 200 applications due to national security concerns. These bans specifically targeted apps with connections to China.

This action was widely interpreted as a response to escalating tensions between the two neighboring nations. Notably, all other applications previously banned in India remain unavailable, having been removed from both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok – which identified India as its largest market – has significantly reduced its workforce within the country. Employees have been advised to maintain a low profile.

The Unique Circumstances of PUBG Mobile’s Return

The re-launch of PUBG Mobile is particularly noteworthy given the continued ban on other applications. The game, now branded as Battlegrounds Mobile India for the South Asian market, is available for download via the Play Store.

Users are required to register for early access prior to the official launch. Despite the rebranding, the game retains the original storyline and familiar introductory music.

Players are also given the option to seamlessly transfer their existing PUBG Mobile accounts to the new application.

Rishi Alwani, a prominent gaming journalist with IGN India, explained to TechCrunch that the updated game is “essentially PUBG Mobile with data compliance, green blood, and a constant reminder that you’re in a ‘virtual world’,” appearing during game start-up and within menus.

Questions Surrounding the Re-Approval

These modifications likely represent Krafton’s effort to address previous concerns raised by Indian authorities regarding the game’s potential impact on young people.

However, this re-entry has sparked several key questions among Indian startup founders and policy officials:

• Did the Indian government formally approve the new game?
• If not, why has Google allowed its listing on the Play Store?
• What specific measures did Krafton implement to satisfy the Indian government’s concerns?
• Why haven’t other banned applications been permitted to return to India?

Currently, neither the Indian government nor Krafton has issued public statements on this matter. Krafton has proactively taken steps to address India’s concerns.

This includes severing ties with Tencent, its former publishing partner, eliminating any visible Chinese affiliation. The company also announced a $100 million investment in India’s gaming sector.

The lack of transparency surrounding the Indian government’s order and compliance procedures makes it unclear how Krafton secured the game’s re-approval.

Potential Explanations for the Approval

One possible explanation, though speculative, is that the game is considered a new application due to a new app ID and developer account. India banned applications, not the companies themselves.

This also sheds light on how BIGO / YY, whose apps Likee and others were banned, launched Tiki Video under a new developer account, actively concealing its connection, as revealed by domain registrar records analyzed by TechCrunch.

BIGO stated it has no affiliation with Tiki and no longer operates apps in India. Tiki, launched in late February, has already reached over 16 million monthly active users, according to App Annie.

The central question remains: are these workarounds sufficient to circumvent the ban? Some apps, including Battlegrounds Mobile India, now host their data within India and have agreed to periodic audits.

However, it remains unclear if these measures are enough, and why more applications haven’t followed suit and returned to the Indian market.

A Positive Development for Indian Gamers

Despite the unanswered questions, the return of PUBG Mobile India is a positive development for the game’s substantial user base in India. Approximately 38 million users were reportedly utilizing workarounds to continue playing the game last month, according to App Annie.