PUBG Mobile India pre-registrations start on Google Play store

Pune: Pre-registrations for the Indian version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) will open on the Google Play Store on May 18, creator Krafton Inc. said.

Designed for Indian players, Battlegrounds Mobile India offers specific rewards on pre-registration, which can be claimed after the official launch, according to a statement on Friday.

The South Korean game developer is relaunching PUBG Mobile as Battlegrounds Mobile India after the popular video game was banned in India in September 2020 following border skirmishes with China. Chinese technology firm Tencent Holdings Ltd. had developed that version of the game. PUBG Corp., the subsidiary of Krafton, has since severed ties with Tencent for India.


In November, PUBG Corp. said it would set up an Indian subsidiary and launch a new India-specific version of PUBG Mobile. The company, along with parent Krafton, said it would invest $100 million (Rs 750 crore) to revive business in its largest market in terms of number of users.

PUBG India Pvt. Ltd. was registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on Nov. 21, 2020, with its head office in Bengaluru. Krafton's Head of Corporate Development Hyunil Sohn is one of its two directors.

Battlegrounds India Mobile will launch as a free-to-play experience on mobile devices and would be available only in India. It will have restrictions for those below 18 years of age—they will need to register with a phone number that belongs to a parent or guardian. According to the terms of use, parents or guardians who feel that their child has provided personal information without their consent can contact the developers and request for the information to be deleted from the database.

Industry watchers welcomed the return of the popular game.

"It is heartening to see that Krafton Inc. has announced the date for pre-registrations...a clear indication that government green light has been given...," said Lokesh Suji, director of Esports Federation of India and vice president of Asian eSports Federation. "This surely is a piece of good news for all PUBG players who have been missing the game all this while..."

Shivam Rao, co-founder and chief operating officer of gaming talent firm Trinity Gaming, said Battleground India Mobile will give a major boost to content creators to make a serious career out of their passion.

“We will be including Battlegrounds Mobile India in our All India Esports League which will be rolling out shortly," said Tarun Gupta, founder of Ultimate Battle, which expects the game to be downloaded a million times within the first week of launch.