Ban Battlegrounds Mobile India says CAIT, shoots off letter to govt, wants Google Play Store to remove it

Battlegrounds Mobile India, the PUBG Mobile India alternative, was launched for pre-registered beta testers last week. Notably, the game has already crossed 5 million downloads in its early access phase. Battlegrounds Mobile India launch date has not been announced by Krafton as yet. However, since PUBG Mobile India was first banned and thereafter Krafton revealed it would roll out an alternative in the form of Battlegrounds Mobile India, controversy keeps surrounding the game and now a renewed call has been given for a ban to be imposed and for Google Play Store to remove it. The game has been facing backlash from government due to Krafton’s tie up with Tencent and danger to security. Now, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has raised voice against PUBG Mobile being relaunched as Battlegrounds Mobile India.

In a letter to Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Union Minister of IT and Communication, CAIT, said that Krafton, which is Tencent’s second biggest shareholder, has relaunched PUBG Mobile simply as Battlegrounds Mobile India. The letter highlighted that Google Play Store is offering the game to users in India, and how Google “should not allow its platform for apps that endanger India’s national security and data privacy of millions of citizens.”

CAIT added that Google should not be allowed to offer its platform to companies that may cause potential harm to the country’s security. The letter also mentioned that although Battlegrounds Mobile India is exclusive to India, the user data will be transferred to Singapore and other regions. Also, non-Indian law will be applicable to the user data, and the app will have features from PUBG Mobile which was banned in India last year. It also highlighted that the app package for the game on Play Store has pubg.imobile for pre-registration.

“We are really dismayed that you will allow a banned app to be available and allow the name of banned app on your reputed platform,” CAIT said in its letter.

Praveen Khandelwal, National Secretary General, CAIT shared the letter on Twitter with multiple tweets urging the government to ban Battlegrounds Mobile India.

It’s worth noting that Battlegrounds Mobile India is a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile. There have been changes made to lessen violent content like blood now shown in green colour. Krafton has also customised the game with India-centric features. The game was initially supposed to launch as PUBG Mobile India but after months of delay it was later announced as Battlegrounds Mobile India. With the game receiving so much backlash it’s interesting to see if it will actually launch in India or not.