PUBG Mobile is coming back to India in a new avatar

PUBG Corporation, the creator of PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG) has announced that the company will soon launch PUBG MOBILE INDIA, a new game created specifically for the Indian market.

Since its release, PUBG has sold over 70 million copies to date and achieved worldwide acclaim, but the game was banned in India earlier this year, along with several other popular apps like WeChat and TikTok. While data privacy and integrity were the stated reasons for the ban, it was widely considered as a response to the military infiltration by China’s People Liberation Army into India’s Himalayan region and the ensuing diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

The pitch of the new game is hence prioritized around the privacy and security of user data. The company plans to conduct regular audits and verifications on the storage systems holding Indian users’ personally identifiable information to reinforce security. The company will also include a feature that will place restrictions on game time to promote healthy gameplay habits for younger players. In some parts of India, there were calls to ban PUBG earlier because of its addictive gameplay that had kids hooked affecting their cognitive and mental well-being.

The in-game content too will cater to local preferences and many aspects of the game will be customized for Indian gamers, such as “the game now being set in a virtual simulation training ground, new characters automatically starting clothed, and green hit effects to reflect the virtual nature of the game.”

The South Korea-based publisher of the 2017 blockbuster battle royale video game is a subsidiary of KRAFTON, a collective of independent game development teams. PUBG Corporation will now create an Indian subsidiary for better connect with Indian users and to actively collaborate with local businesses. The Indian company will hire over 100 employees specializing in business, esports, and game development.

With its parent company, PUBG Corporation plans to make investments worth $100 million in India to develop local video game, esports, entertainment, and IT industries. The company claims that these investments will represent the largest made by a Korean company, outside of the manufacturing segment.