Updated: November 16, 2020 4:01:45 pm
PUBG Corporation has just announced that the game will return, with a new avatar, called PUBG Mobile India; this is how everyone is reacting to the news. (Express photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
PUBG Mobile was one of the most popular mobile games in India, until the Indian government banned it in September 2020. PUBG Mobile and its lite version along with 114 other apps were banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act along with the accuse that the game was participating in activities that undermine the sovereignty and integrity, defense and security of the country. But it looks like PUBG Mobile is planning a comeback in India.
PUBG Corporation made an announcement last week that the game would return, in a new avatar, called PUBG Mobile India. PUBG Mobile India could return with a local twist. The game will now have a virtual simulation training ground setup, all characters will have clothing items from the start, and will display green impact effects, rather than red to show no blood, according to the company’s announcement.
PUBG Corporation has stated that it will maintain a safe and healthy gaming environment for Indian gamers. He also made sure that the privacy and safety of Indian players is his top priority. It will carry out periodic audits and verifications of the storage systems that contain the data. The company also stated that it plans to invest $ 100 million in the country to boost the e-sports culture and mobile gaming industry in India. The company will also hire more than 100 Indians to establish a base in India to improve communications and services. The new equipment will also help manage PUBG PC and PUBG console here.
Read on to find out why PUBG Mobile’s return to India won’t be so easy
Salman Ahmad AKA 8bit MAMBA standing in the center of DreamHack New Delhi. (Express photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
For YouTube gamers and streamers, this is good news given that the PUBG ban hit them all hard. “After the ban, most of the streamers and esports players were on the verge of finding a new game that the audience could relate to,” said PUBG Mobile YouTube streamer Salman Ahmad AKA 8bit MAMBA. indianexpress.com. “They were afraid that PUBG Mobile would not come back for at least eight or nine months.”
According to Hemant Middha, a former member of the SouL team with the SouL Frost gamer tag, “The ban on the game was suddenly, as everything was going very well. The whole community was in shock, but it was expected. “
Ahmad points out that for the Indian gaming audience, no other game has been able to take the place of PUBG Mobile. Alternatives like Free Fire or ‘Call of Duty: Mobile’ didn’t see the kind of frenzy PUBG generated.
“People are also looking to become familiar with the game, which is not available with alternatives like Call of Duty: Mobile,” he noted. He predicts that the new PUBG game “will see a huge influx of returning Indian players and several new players will join in on the fun.” In his opinion, players “could not relate to other games and seek a connection in them that does not exist.”
“Games like Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) weren’t even properly marketed. They did not organize player meetings or hold major tournaments. PUBG Mobile stood out in all of this when it became available in the country. The staging and international staging is very important, “he added.
In his opinion, the only game that could stand the test of time could be Valorant. The reason: the mechanics are similar to Counter-Strike, a game that most Indian players have played at some point in their lives.
Hemant agrees with the dominance of PUBG Mobile in India, even after the ban. “Neither Call of Duty: Mobile nor Free Fire have as large an audience as PUBG Mobile, so in India only PUBG Mobile will rule,” he said. He added that most of his friends still play PUBG Mobile, even after trying games like CODM, be it the Korean version or the global version services. “
“Basically, we don’t see any real difference between what was and what is to come. It’s the same game with some cosmetic changes to suit Indian sensibilities. The love for the genre and the gameplay is not forgotten. The game will return with the same fervor for the core community, ”Akshat Rathee, MD and co-founder of NODWIN Gaming told indianexpress.com.
PUBG Mobile tournament at DreamHack New Delhi. (Express photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
According to Piyush Kumar, CEO and founder of Rooter, which is an Indian sports and video game application, “PUBG has played a very important role in the evolution of the gaming industry in India. It’s a once in a lifetime game. “
But the PUBG Mobile scene will be very different when I return to India. Ahmad points out that some players would have left the scene, due to factors such as studies, other careers, etc. “Some may have rusted. This could leave them frustrated and push them out of the game, ”he said. He adds that some of the top players may not return as there will be no international competitions with big prize money.
Hemant, however, is more hopeful. “The prospects for the game are good. It’s just that whatever competitions were taking place with the global version, they won’t be there in the Indian version. There will be tournaments for the Indian version, and after that, they will collaborate with the global version, similar to the Korean version, “he said.
“PUBG is a game, that anyone can play, whether it’s someone playing to pass the time or someone seriously playing in the esports community. So everyone in the community is looking forward to the return of the game, ”he said.
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