BGMI Ban: Krafton speaks up, Google says why it removed the game from Play Store

BGMI banned in India: Google has released a statement on why it removed the Krafton game from the Play Store.

BGMI ban: Krafton and Google speak up on the matter. (BGMI)

BGMI ban in 2022 comes in as a big shock for fans of the game. After the PUBG Mobile ban in 2020, Krafton had made changes to the game and reintroduced it to India rebranded as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) with all the necessary changes. However, it is said that the MeitY had issues with the way Krafton was handling the data as well as the links to the Chinese companies. For those wondering, both Google and Krafton have spoken giving us an idea of what happened.

In a statement to HT Tech, Krafton says, “We are clarifying how BGMI was removed from Google Play store and the App store and will let you know once we get specific information.” No specific information on why the game was removed but we could be getting a final statement from the publisher in the coming days.

BGMI Ban: Google says why it removed the game

On the other hand, Google has also spoken on the matter. A Google spokesperson told HT Tech – “On receipt of the order, following established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on the Play Store in India.”

Based on a report from Talkesport, it is said that Krafton's BGMI was banned for the same reasons as those of PUBG Mobile. The government is concerned about the issues related to data migration and the connection to Chinese firms. BGMI is simply a localised version of PUBg Mobile that has different policies for data storage as well as management. It remains to be seen what reason the government states for banning BGMI.

While BGMI is absconding from the app stores, Krafton's New State Mobile, erstwhile known as the PUBG New State, is still available to download and play. Those wanting to get the PUBG-style experience can head over New State Mobile. Additionally, those who already have BGMI installed on their device can simply continue to play as usual.