Krafton confirms BGMI’s return to India

After a 10-month ban, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is scheduled to return to India. Krafton, the game’s Korean publisher, has won permission from the Indian government to return to operations following security and privacy issues. Under Section 69 of the IT Act, BGMI was withdrawn from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App […]

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After a 10-month ban, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is scheduled to return to India. Krafton, the game’s Korean publisher, has won permission from the Indian government to return to operations following security and privacy issues. Under Section 69 of the IT Act, BGMI was withdrawn from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, affecting the country’s mobile eSports industry. BGMI is the first app to resurface after being banned by the authorities in recent years.

Krafton praised the Indian authorities for enabling the restart of BGMI and the Indian gaming community for its support throughout the prohibition period. Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India, said that Battlegrounds Mobile India would be available for download immediately and conveyed delight about bringing players back to the platform. He also emphasised the game’s success in India, where it surpassed 100 million users within a year of its inception in July 2021.

Following the prohibition of PUBG Mobile, an India-specific version of the game, BGMI, arose, revitalising the e-sports environment with a variety of official and unofficial tournaments, including a broadcast tournament named the “Masters Series” on Star Sports 2. Krafton emphasised compliance with regulations and responsible gaming practices.

Back with some alterations

According to media reports, BGMI will be back for a three-month trial period, during which the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will oversee its actions to guarantee compliance with Indian government standards. The game is supposed to return with certain alterations, such as a time limit on gameplay and improvements to violence effects. Previously, players could change the colour of their blood to blue or green, but this change is intended to be permanent.

The Ministry also withdrew Dead by Daylight Mobile, a co-op survival horror game, from Indian app stores in March. Although no particular explanation was provided, it could be tied to NetEase’s role as the game’s publisher for Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea. Several Chinese apps had already been blocked by the Indian government due to security concerns.

The exact release date for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is presently unknown. However, it is anticipated to be available on Android and iOS devices like before.