- PUBG Mobile India annnounced its return, after a 2 month ban, earlier yesterday.
- According to reports, the government says “Difficult to grant any relaxation” for PUBG Mobile India.
- This does not mean that the game will not be unbanned. It just has to go through the stringent checks of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) before being released.
Earlier yesterday, PUBG Corporation had announced that PUBG Mobile would be coming back to the country as ‘PUBG Mobile India’ with improved privacy and in-game content tailored to reflect local needs.
However, it looks like the road to its return will be quite rocky. According to a report by the Times of India (TOI), the Indian government has stated that it may not allow PUBG Mobile to return to the country unless some of its specific concerns are addressed.
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Indian government says “Difficult to grant any relaxation” for PUBG Mobile India
Indian mobile gaming fans were understandably ecstatic about the game when it announced its return to the country with 'PUBG Mobile India.' However, it looks like the Indian government is still yet to make a decision regarding this matter.
According to a report by TOI, a source in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) commented that they were not convinced just yet.
"Unless they (PUBG Mobile) address the concerns, it will be difficult to grant any relaxation."
Krafton did not immediately respond to AFK Gaming's request for a comment regarding this matter.
This response isn’t entirely unexpected from the Indian government. If one of the games/apps from the two huge ban lists gets unbanned, it would create a precedent that other games/apps could follow to make their return to the country. It is understandable that MEITY would want to take its time analyzing the privacy changes to the mobile game before allowing the release of ‘PUBG Mobile India’.
Steps PUBG Mobile Claims To Have Taken To Secure Privacy of Indian Users
With the announced release of PUBG Mobile India, the developer has claimed that it has taken a number of steps to ensure the privacy of its Indian players in its press statement.
“The company will conduct regular audits and verifications on the storage systems holding Indian users’ personally identifiable information to reinforce security and ensure that their data is safely managed.”
The game’s parent company Krafton has also recently partnered with Microsoft Azure to be able to store data locally in India which could ease concerns around privacy.
RELATED: KRAFTON Collaborates With Microsoft, Likely To Bring PUBG Mobile Back To India
On September 2nd, The Indian Government banned 118 apps Including PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite, citing that they were prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India. This move was made amidst allegations of these apps stealing and sharing data with unauthorized third parties located outside India.
RELATED: Indian Government bans 118 apps Including PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor
It has been a long and hard-fought battle, but the game’s return to India is now within sight.
