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Krafton Inc. released BGMI as the Indian variant of the popular BR title PUBG Mobile in 2021 after the latter was initially banned in the region back in September 2020. Battlegrounds Mobile India saw a meteoric rise in terms of popularity, amassing over 100 million downloads within a year. The game also played a major role in the rise of esports in the country.
However, an astonishing turn of events saw the game getting removed from the virtual stores of Google and Apple on July 28, 2022. Restrictions on in-game purchases and official esports scrims and tournaments were levied soon after.
Since then, several statements from influencers and the developers regarding the game's status have surfaced online. However, the game is yet to make a comeback. With the calendar year drawing to a conclusion, players across the country are eagerly awaiting to learn if the title will make its comeback in 2023.
BGMI players and fans hopeful of the game's return in 2023
Krafton Inc. recently released a report of its Q3 earnings, which focused on a lot of important topics. However, amongst them, the words on Battlegrounds Mobile India took the headlines. The South Korean company mentioned in the report that they are making continuous efforts to get the game back to the virtual stores of Google and Apple.
The report also highlighted how the company will continue to invest further in the gaming market. Although this does not ensure the game's return in the near future, fans are hopeful of a comeback in 2023.
Meanwhile, on November 4, Yash Bhanushali, one of the biggest stakeholders in the Indian esports scene gave a hint about the Indian government's keenness towards esports and gaming. The influencer didn't mention anything in particular related to the development of the gaming ecosystem but casually highlighted the names of popular BR titles - Free Fire and BGMI.
Terms like "great news," "welcome back," "FF," and "BGMI" thrilled many esports aficionados who closely follow both the titles and are eagerly waiting for their return.
Since Yash is a prominent figure in the gaming community, his statements have provided hope to Battlegrounds Mobile India fans and players about the game's comeback.
Popular BGMI esports athlete, AKOP, in an Instagram live session, had also mentioned the chances of the game's comeback in 2023. He mentioned how he heard rumors that the game will be getting a new Indian publisher and will make its return next year. His words have excited a lot of fans across the country.
Notably, gamers must remember that following the ban on PUBG Mobile, Krafton only took nine months to release Battlegrounds Mobile India on the market in June 2021. However, since the title is the Indian variant, players can be hopeful of BGMI's return in the first few months of 2023.
Furthermore, since the in-game servers are still functional, it can be assumed that the game will be back sooner than it occurred during the last ban.
As of now, players can only wait for Krafton and MeitY to settle the prevailing issues and get the game back to the virtual stores.
