According to a recent report of News18, Krafton’s Indian version of PUBG Mobile, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is likely to make a comeback soon to the digital storefronts (Google Play Store and App Store) after being removed from them over eight months ago. According to the report, the government has allowed the app to be unblocked for a period of three months with certain changes made to the original version of the game.
The report stated that this decision has come after Krafton made certain modifications and assured the government that the game will comply with all terms and conditions of the Indian Government. While this can be a piece of great news for Indian BGMI enthusiasts, there are still questions about why the game was given a green signal despite intel reports indicating that the game was communicating with servers in China directly or indirectly.
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BGMI Return on the Cards, but with a Catch
The News18’s report claims that Krafton had a meeting with the Indian Govt. officials, and it has been recommended to unban the game for a limited time with certain modifications. Following are the reported changes that Krafton needs to implement in BGMI to lift the ban:
Restricted Playtime: One of the major changes that will be implemented in the game is limited hours of playtime. The Indian government has imposed the restrictions on the hours of playing to address addiction issues. Earlier, several incidents of suicides and murders due to high addiction to PUBG Mobile and this game have been reported.
According to the report, players will no longer be able to play the game 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Instead, the publisher will have to set a time limit and restrictions on the number of hours spent playing. Unfortunately, the report does not specify how many hours players can play the game.
No Blood: The second reported change that will take place in the game is the removal of blood. The developers of the game have informed government officials that no blood will be used in the game. According to the report, the colour scheme of the game will be changed. As of now, the game only supports yellow and green blood (similar to the version currently available in China (Peacekeeper Elite).
This change was made in response to concerns about the game’s violent nature and its impact on young players.
Internal Changes and Server: The report also states that the Government has asked the publisher to make relevant changes in the game, including the server to combat addiction and prevent cyber threats. The game has been accused of addiction, with reports of players becoming obsessed with it and committing violent acts.
Concerns have also been raised about user data being harvested for profiling in order to carry out targeted cyber-attacks on Indian users. As a result, the firm has been asked to make the requisite internal changes and server changes made to address these concerns.
On 28 July 2022, BGMI was abruptly removed from both Play Store and App Store. The reasons for the removal of the game were unknown for a while. Later, RTI confirmed that BGMI was officially banned by MeitY as per the requests made by MHA.
According to News18, a central intelligence agency report and communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) triggered a ban on the popular battle royale game.
Despite multiple rumours of the game’s reintroduction, it remains suspended, and the developer is maintaining silence about its current status. However, with the publication of a recent report, there appears to be a ray of hope for the game, and its return may be on the horizon.
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