Photo illustration of PUBG app with banned text on an iPad device in Guwahati, India on September 2, 2020. India has banned more than 100 additional apps linked to China, including the popular mobile game PUBG, citing cybersecurity concerns such as Geopolitical tensions between India and China rise.
David Talukdar | NurPhoto | fake images
The owner of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has cut ties with Chinese tech giant Tencent in India in an effort to lift a ban on a mobile version of the game.
PUBG Corporation, the South Korean company that develops and publishes PUBG, said on Tuesday that it would leave Tencent as the publisher of its PUBG Mobile game in India.
Last week, the Indian government added PUBG Mobile and 117 other apps with links to China to a blacklist that includes TikTok and WeChat due to alleged national security risks.
“In light of recent developments, PUBG Corporation has made the decision to no longer authorize the PUBG MOBILE Tencent Games franchise in India, “PUBG Corporation said in a statement Tuesday.” In the future, PUBG Corporation will assume all responsibilities for publishing within the country. “
“As the company explores ways to bring its own PUBG experience to India in the near future, it is committed to doing so by maintaining a localized and healthy gaming environment for its fans,” he added.
It comes amid a surge in geopolitical tensions between India and China after a border clash in the Himalayas that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. Those tensions flared again this week, with India and China accusing each other’s soldiers of firing warning shots at the disputed border.
PUBG Mobile, a battle royale game similar to Fortnite, was wildly popular in India before the government’s decision to block it. According to app data tracker SensorTower, India was the app’s largest market, with over 175 million installs to date. That means it accounted for about 24% of total downloads globally.
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