BGMI Unban: After a suspension of 10 months, Krafton’s Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is returning to the country again. As the company announced that the game will return to Apple's App Store and Google Play soon, Minister of State (IT) Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to Twitter to announce that this is a "three-month trial approval." He added that the Centre will keep a close watch on the issues of user harm, addition, etc, over the next three months before the final decision is made. BGMI, which surpassed 100 million registered users in July 2022, was one of the biggest revenue-generating Android apps in the country until its suspension.
As BGMI is set to make a comeback, the news has been positively welcomed by gamers and industry leaders.
Roby John, co-founder and CEO, SuperGaming, said, "We’re glad it’s coming back, gaming should be without boundaries. It’s yet another signal that gaming and esports are the biggest opportunities in India and now, it comes with the recognition of the government as well. Hopefully, this jumpstarts Indian talent for a better and bigger games industry across content creation, esports, and of course, game development."
Yash Pariani, Founder and CEO, House of Gaming, said, "We are thrilled to hear the news of BGMI's return to India following a 10-month ban. This decision brings immense joy to millions of gaming enthusiasts who have eagerly awaited its comeback. BGMI has been widely popular in India, offering an engaging and competitive gaming experience. Its revival signifies the recognition of gaming's significant role in the lives of many Indians, fostering community, competition, and entertainment. Moreover, this development showcases the Government's acknowledgement of the gaming industry's potential for growth and its contribution to the digital ecosystem in India. It creates opportunities for local talent, content creators, and esports organizations to flourish on a global stage."
STAN COO and co-founder Nauman Mulla said, "We are thrilled to witness the resurgence of BGMI in India, poised to bring about a remarkable surge in the gaming industry. The dedicated fans of BGMI have been eagerly anticipating this news for quite some time. With utmost confidence, we anticipate BGMI to successfully navigate through the three-month trial period, fostering a secure and wholesome gaming culture for its passionate fanbase."
"We’re glad that BGMI is back," said Anurag Khurana, CEO and founder of Penta Esports. "BGMI had shown massive traction from the Indian gaming community and it will be great for the community as everyone was eagerly waiting for its return. BGMI’s return will be beneficial for the entire gaming community, including content creators, esports athletes and others."
8Bit Creative’s founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal said, “The game represents so much for the gaming community, and we are thankful to the team at Krafton, Indian Government official, and everyone else who has been working relentlessly to make this possible.” He added that this decision will bring new energy into the Indian gaming industry.
Lokesh Suji, Esports Federation of India (ESFI) Director and Vice President Of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), said, “The long-awaited return of BGMI after a 10-month hiatus is a much-needed boost for the Esports community in our country.” He thanked the Centre for its move to bring back the game and in the process promote the esports ecosystem through this development.
Suji added that the game is set to undergo certain changes to ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for users upon its comeback on a trial period, as outlined by the MoS IT in his tweet.
Suji also said, “With esports getting official recognition from the Government and the community adapting well to the absence of BGMI by expanding other titles, we eagerly anticipate the exponential growth that the sector will experience now that the game is back in the picture.”
Founder and Director of Alphs Zegus, Rohit Agarwal said, “There has been a dry spell in the mobile competitive scenario for a while now, and this announcement is definitely making many stakeholders happy.”
He believes BGMI’s return is definitely big news for the entire industry. Agarwal said that after this, tournaments of all scales can restart, and players/content creators who have been on pause can resume.
However, Agarwal warned, “We need to be very cautious and responsible towards the rules set by the government. We’ve had the misfortune of the game going the previous two times, but if we all approach this carefully, it’ll be here to stay, and here to win.”
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Finally, the co-founder and CEO of Qlan, Sagar Nair said, “On a macro level, this could potentially set the tone for future esports titles being released in India.”
To ensure the game's full reinstatement, Krafton is required to fulfil certain conditions imposed by the government. It is reported that the company must implement a daily time limit for the game over a period of 90 days (equivalent to three months). This measure aims to prevent addiction, particularly among children.
Additionally, authorities have requested Krafton to modify the game's animations to eliminate depictions of blood. In the previous version of BGMI, Krafton changed the colour of the blood to green in order to reduce the perceived violence. It remains to be seen what further changes Krafton will incorporate to keep BGMI operation in India.