PUBG Mobile likely to get banned in India along with over 200 Chinese-origin apps

Ever since its appearance on the mobile platform, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) has found millions of players in India. The game's free-to-play model and its ability to run well on low-end devices have allowed more players to participate in the game than earlier possible. All that might come crashing down soon, as the Indian Government may ban it in the coming weeks.

Economic Times says that it had access to a list of Chinese-origin apps under the Indian Government's chopping block. There over 200 apps on that list, and Tencent-owned PUBG Mobile happens to be one of them. Only apps that pose an overt security risk will be banned, though. The list in question isn't public yet, but it is reasonable to assume that Call of Duty: Mobile is on it too, as Tencent also owns it. Other Tencent holdings such as Supercell are on it too, much to the dismay of Clash of Clans and Clash Royale fans.

PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile players can rest easy for now, as it is unlikely that a mobile game will be considered a security threat. Unfortunately, fans of Mobile Legends got the short end of the stick as the massively popular MMORPG was a part of the 59 apps that got banned first. PUBG Mobile's popularity across the nation gives it a degree of immunity that even TikTok couldn't enjoy. The move will not sit well with the country's youth. It will also ring the death knell for the millions of streamers and influencers who make a livelihood playing the game.