The latest Indian government crackdown resulted in a ban on 59 Chinese applications in the country. The list includes some popular applications like TikTok, SHAREit, UC Browser, Mi Community, Shein, Bigo Live, Club Factory and more.
However, many were hoping that PUBG Mobile would also be banned in India, though that didn’t happen. This came as a relief for players of the famous battle royale game. The game, which has over millions of downloads on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, is one of the most famous games in the country. But why is it not banned when popular apps like TikTok, which is developed in China and it is owned by a company known as Bytedance, was banned in India. Let’s take a closer look.
What is PUBG and does it have a Chinese origin?
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG is a battle royale game that was launched for the PC and gaming console. The game is developed by PUBG Corporation, which is a subsidiary of Korean game developer known as Bluehole. The battle royale game became a huge success, but it was banned in China as the government feared people getting addicted to the game. Bluehole then partnered with Tencent Games to launch the popular game in China and Tencent also made the mobile version of the game, which is known as PUBG Mobile.
Tencent also launched the same game in India, where it became a huge success. So the primary Korean origin of the battle royale game could be one of the reasons why it was not banned in India. The PUBG Mobile is not fully owned by the Chinese Tencent Games, but it is a result of a partnership with Koren game maker Bluehole. Furthermore, multiple reports suggest that PUBG’s Korean origin could have saved the game from the ban.
The Indian government banned the applications under section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The 59 apps were found to be engaged in activities which are prejudicial to “sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.” The move is aimed to safeguard Indians from the data breach. The banned apps could have raised red flags over privacy, but it could have not been the case with PUBG or PUBG Mobile, which could be the reason why it was not banned in India.