Battle royale PUBG Mobile is once again on the Google Play Store in India despite an earlier ban, reports say. The game is now known as Battlegrounds Mobile India, and has been altered with mild censorship and new data compliance, the latter presumably meant to further distance the game from Chinese tech giant Tencent.

In 2020 the Indian government banned over 200 apps that had connections to China, including PUBG Mobile, which is distinct from the PC and console games. The two countries have long been geopolitical rivals - but tensions boiled over after border skirmishes began in May, killing and injuring soldiers on both sides. PUBG Mobile was already controversial in India for reasons beyond its connection to China, such as the game's addictive nature.

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Battlegrounds Mobile India swaps red blood for green and regularly reminds people that they're in a "virtual world," according to TechCrunch. The data compliance involves a new account system, to which PUBG Mobile players can transfer their accounts. Developer PUBG Studio also said earlier that it would be cutting ties with Tencent in India and moving hosting to local Microsoft Azure servers, which may have been enough to appease the Indian government and/or Google. It's not yet clear if the Indian government has actually approved the return though, especially when most other Chinese-linked apps are still missing.

Battlegrounds Mobile India Formerly PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile is so popular in India that according to App Annie data cited by TechCrunch, some 38 million people were circumventing the ban in May. The PUBG games do have a fanbase in North America and Europe - but they've had had a tougher time competing with games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, despite originating the battle royale genre in 2017. Part of the issue with the PC and console versions may be that they're semi-realistic and less forgiving than other battle royales. It's not uncommon for players to be killed instantly by enemies they never see, and there's currently no resurrection system, though something similar to Call of Duty: Warzone's gulag is rumored to be on its way alongside a new map, Taego.

Another mobile PUBG spinoff, PUBG: New State, is in the middle of development. That game has a near-future setting and will allow for both new graphics technology and gameplay, which could help to recapture Western audiences. The original PC-based game recently received a sizeable 12.1 update, overhauling Miramar, adding a new gun and vehicle, and introducing an experimental Racing Mode. The Taego update is scheduled to arrive July 7 on PC and July 15 on consoles.

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PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Stadia.

Source: TechCrunch