BGMI Unban: Krafton, the developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has announced the imminent return of the game to the Indian market. The company expressed gratitude to the Indian authorities for granting permission to resume operations. BGMI, a modified version of PUBG Mobile tailored specifically for the Indian audience, was removed from both Apple's App Store and Google Play store last year due to security concerns. The ban on the previous iteration, PUBG Mobile, remains in effect due to similar security issues and its connection to China.
“We are highly grateful to the Indian authorities for allowing us to resume operations of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). We would like to extend our gratitude to our Indian gaming community for their support and patience over the past few months," said Krafton India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn in a blog post.
"We are excited to announce that Battlegrounds Mobile India will be available for download soon and we cannot wait to welcome you back to our platform... We are committed to delivering exceptional products and services to our users in India and beyond, and we look forward to continuing our journey with you.”
"We are deeply committed to the Indian gaming ecosystem. Our approach has always been India-first, which serves as the foundation of all our efforts. We believe in investing in the Indian gaming industry and contributing to building a vibrant ecosystem that fosters growth and innovation. To achieve our mission, we aim to augment technology developments in India by collaborating with local developers and promoting the use of cutting-edge technologies. We also recognize the importance of providing skilling and employment opportunities for Indian talent, which can help them nurture their skillset and thrive in the industry," Sohn added.
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Krafton's confirmation of BGMI's return follows recent media reports highlighting ongoing negotiations between the company and Indian authorities.
Minister of State (IT) Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to Twitter to announce that this is a "three-month trial approval." "We will keep a close watch on other issues of user harm, addiction, etc, in next three months before a final decision is taken," the minister added.
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. Authorities raised concerns about the mental well-being of young players after a tragic incident in which a teenager killed his mother after being prohibited from playing BGMI.
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.
However, it remains unclear whether BGMI will be accessible to users only during specified time slots each day. The release statement indicates that the battle royale-style game will soon be available for download.
As Krafton works towards meeting the government's conditions, eager fans of BGMI can anticipate the game's return, offering an optimised experience tailored to the Indian gaming community.