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Mobile gamers in India were in for an unpleasant surprise when Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) was banned by the Indian government. History seems to repeating itself as popular battle royale titles like Free Fire and PUBG Mobile have also been banned in the past.
The Indian version of PUBG Mobile was first removed from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store yesterday, 29 July 2022, at around 7:00 pm IST. Ban rumors were immediately rife on the internet.
Sadly, the rumors turned out to be true as it was revealed that the Indian government had indeed banned the game. The unfortunate incident of a sixteen-year-old boy murdering his mother over PUBG Mobile might be the reason why the game was banned. The exact reason is still unclear, however, as the government has not released an official statement about the ban.
Here's what Skyesports had to say about the ban on BGMI in India
Less than a week after the conclusion of a major tournament, BGMI Showdown, the game was unexpectedly banned in the country. The ban occurred at a time when numerous tournaments for the battle royale game were scheduled to be held.
To discuss the adverse effects of the ban on the Indian esports ecosystem, Sportskeeda Esports reached out to Skyesports to talk about their upcoming LAN event. Here's what they said:
"We have everything planned for the Skyesports League 2022. It was supposed to be a huge LAN event at the Thyagraj Sports Stadium in New Delhi. For now, we are waiting to get more clarity from Krafton or the government."
Skyesports even addressed how the Krafton title has a thriving esports ecosystem and mentioned that it would be a huge blow if the game got permanently banned:
"BGMI had become almost become synonymous with esports and gaming in India, especially after the ban on Free Fire. If the battle royale game is permanently suspended, it will certainly be a huge blow to the ecosystem as the majority of organizations, popular esports teams, and content creators belong to the BGMI fraternity."
However, they ended the conversation on a positive note and gave a ray of hope to all mobile gamers who enjoy these titles that have growing esports scene in the country:
"That being said, there are still a lot of other games to look at, such as Call of Duty: Mobile, VALORANT, Apex Legends Mobile, and more upcoming titles. Just like last time, we might see a seismic shift in the overall ecosystem, but the huge Indian gaming community will still remain, and we at Skyesports will continue bringing esports tournaments for them."
As a result of the ban, the esports scene of the battle royale game in the country will be harmed the most. Presented by AMD and powered by Rooter Sports, the Skyesports League 2022 was one of the most awaited BGMI tournaments of the season. Whether or not the tournament takes place will now depend on how the situation unfolds.
