- Krafton has brushed aside speculation about PUBG: Mobile's potential return in India
- The game will release under a new name, Battlegrounds Mobile, and build a dedicated esports ecosystem
- Individuals who are considered underage, U-18, will face some restrictions as Krafton intends to make its game safe
After a long year of speculation, Krafton has finally confirmed that the company is restarting PUBG: Mobile under a new name and in a different competitive ecosystem.
Krafton Confirms Battlegrounds Mobile for India
Since last year, PUBG: Mobile has not been available to Indian players because the government stepped in citing data concerns related to Tencent. Regardless of the suspension, Krafton, the company behind PUBG in India, has stayed true to its community and fan base in the sub-tropical continent and the big wait has been rewarded.
Krafton has revealed that it will be proceeding with a PUBG: Mobile game after all, albeit one that has been slightly altered to better navigate the current industry context. Rebranded as Battlegrounds Mobile, the new game will be a free-to-pay title available on both Android and iOS.
Some previous reports already had secured preview of the game, sharing a brief teaser video and snapping some screenshots from the game. Krafton is not releasing the game without a plan either and Battlegrounds Mobile will be a competitive game for all intents and purposes.
The company said that it will create the “largest professional esports league” in India, a completely feasible undertaking, giving how young and populous the country's video gamers are. To this end, Krafton will create a structure that encompasses multiple leagues and tournaments.
Even while Krafton was prohibited to run with PUBG in India, the company has been doing its best to help its community base in the country. The company made sure to invest $100 million in its Indian subsidiary, reassuring fans that PUBG is not going anywhere.
New Controls to Protect U-18 Individuals
Krafton is going to make sure it stays compliant with Indian regulation. Because of the somewhat gory details of gameplay, players will need to provide the phone number of either a guardian or a parent.
Anyone who isn't at least 18 years of age will be considered underage and allowed to play the game of up to three hours a day. Spending on the game will be restricted to $95 per day for any U-18 player.
These changes do remind of something that Tencent has been introducing for its own titles. While in the West such parental controls have been somewhat optional, and up to each family's choice, Tencent has been enforcing them with an iron hand.
Earlier this year, Krafton donated $200,000 to COVID-19 relief efforts in the country.
