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BGMI was released last year and within this short span, the game has garnered a lot of popularity, making it one of the most played games in India. However, in a recent turn of events, the game was delisted from the Google Play Store a few hours ago.
Based on official information provided by Google, the battle royale title was banned within India by the central government. It seems that more information will be released as time goes by.
BGMI was delisted from Google Play Store on government's order
Google recently released a press order stating that the company has followed the order issued by the Government of India and has pulled BGMI from their platform.
"On receipt of the order, following established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on the Play Store in India.”
Apple remained silent regarding the entire matter in the beginning. However, after a few hours, the company followed suit and pulled the game from their App Store as well.
Initially, players and fans thought the game was delisted from the Google Play Store due to a technical glitch, which created a huge buzz in the Indian gaming community. However, Google's response has taken a toll on them as they are expecting official confirmation from the Government of India.
Several popular BGMI players and content creators have also given their views on the matter. It all boils down to the fact that everyone is expecting the game to come back as soon as possible.
History of PUBG Mobile's ban and its relaunch as Battlegrounds Mobile India
PUBG Mobile was released back in 2017. Within days of its release, the game was downloaded by users across the world. The title became massively popular amongst mobile gamers. It impacted the gaming market in India as well, as millions across the country flocked to play it on a daily basis.
However, the title was banned on September 2, 2020, by the Government of India due to privacy reasons. The ban impacted the growth of the mobile gaming sector in India as fans took to their social media accounts urging Krafton to release the game.
It was finally released as Battlegrounds Mobile India on July 2, 2021, for Android devices and on August 18, 2021 ,for iOS devices. Since its release during the COVID-19 hiatus, BGMI has become one of the most played action games in the Indian market and its esports scenario has also seen an immense rise.
If it is to face a ban again, the esports ecosystem would face the most hardship as many reputed organizations have invested crores of money. Additionally, the careers of BGMI esports players will also face crisis. Players and fans are hoping that the game returns soon.
