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Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) received a lot of love from fans and successfully replaced PUBG Mobile. However, on 28 July 2022, the Government of India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered the Krafton-backed game's removal from the Play Store and App Store.
The order was meant as a response to the allegations of data sourcing to Chinese servers. Thus, Battlegrounds Mobile India met the same fate as PUBG Mobile and has been banned in India. Some developments have occurred as official statements have made their way to the internet post the BGMI ban.
BGMI ban: Official statements on the matter and recent developments
After Battlegrounds Mobile India received a ban, official statements from Google and Krafton surfaced online. However, it has been a while since the response/statement from the concerned authorities or publishers/developers was released.
Here are the official statements that fans were able to witness after the ban on the game:
Official statements on the BGMI ban
Google's response
As Battlegrounds Mobile India disappeared from the Play Store and App Store, it was Google that provided the actual reason behind the removal via its response.
Here is what Google's official statement read after the removal of Battlegrounds Mobile India:
"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."
The order mentioned in the statement was speculated as the direction the Government of India gave. Although there was no official confirmation of such an order from the Indian government's side, various reports in the following days confirmed the ban on BGMI.
Krafton's statements
Krafton, the publisher and developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India, also released its response on the matter. Two statements were released, which highlighted different concerns. The initial statement was merely an immediate update that hinted at Krafton enquiring about the removal of the game from the app stores.
Here is what the first statement after the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban read:
"We are clarifying how BGMI was removed from the Google Play and App stores and will let you know once we get specific information."
The second statement was more elaborate and addressed the users directly. Krafton highlighted its compliance with the country's laws and regulations, especially those related to data protection. The statement also mentioned the importance of privacy and security.
Readers can find the entire statement from Krafton as follows:
"Dear Patron of BGMI, we are committed to the Indian market and are positive about the opportunities in the country. At KRAFTON Inc., the security and privacy of our user data is of utmost importance to us. We have always been compliant with all laws and regulations in India, including data protection laws and regulations, and will continue abiding by them.
The statement read on:
"We thank you for all the love and support you have shown us in our journey uptill here, and hope to continue our association in the future as well. There may be questions in your minds regarding the current situation about the country's most loved game – BGMI. In line with this, we have been working hard to communicate our sincerity with the concerned authorities and resolve the issues."
Recent developments
Fans hoping for a piece of good news should not get excited as Krafton is yet to provide any update on the game's return date. However, Battlegrounds Mobile India has not received the global 2.2 patch update, disappointing many fans.
In addition to the 2.2 version's absence, the Royale Pass section has been locked in the game, but Cycle 3 Season 7 is still active with a rank reset. Surprisingly, players can still play the game without much fuss, but the in-app purchases have still been inactive since July 2022.
