PUBG Mobile players flock to Korean, Vietnamese versions after server shutdown in India

Image credits: apkpure
Image credits: apkpure

The Indian gaming scene is primarily dominated by the mobile games industry, and that mostly thanks to the success of games like PUBG Mobile. This title was representative of a certain type of game that was only previously playable on consoles and PC.

Mobile hardware has evolved by leaps and bounds, and console-level games like PUBG Mobile are now playable for free on mobile phones. Thus, this game's popularity, along with several other BR titles, led to a period of massive growth.

However, PUBG Mobile fell to the sword in the country with the ban on apps of Chinese origin in September. With the game's ties to the Chinese tech giant, Tencent Games, which until recently held its publishing rights in India, PUBG Mobile's servers were shut down in the country.

However, players seem to have found a workaround and can play the game, albeit in a slightly different way.

PUBG Mobile: Indian players flock to Korean and Vietnamese versions

Players seem to have migrated to the version of this game in other countries like South Korea and Vietnam. As, essentially, the PUBG Mobile experience remains the same in virtually every version, they seem to have no issue trying out a different version.

This particular workaround seems to function because Tencent Games does not have publishing rights in those countries. PUBG Mobile Korea is published independently by PUBG Corporation, and thus, seems to work perfectly fine for Indian players through apps such as TapTap.

Also read: FAU-G by nCORE Games: Post India server shutdown, PUBG Mobile fans flood Twitter with inquiries

Similarly, the Vietnamese version optimized and localized for Vietnamese players, is published by VNG Game Publishing.

This has led to something of a mass exodus of Indian players to these particular versions of the game.


Popular Indian PUBG Mobile streamers are now streaming the Korean and Vietnamese versions

Many popular PUBG Mobile streamers are also live streaming their gameplay from these in-demand versions of this game, as seen below:

GTX Preet

youtube-cover

GodNixon Gaming

youtube-cover

LoLzZz Gaming

youtube-cover

Also read: PUBG Mobile India pros hint at game's possible return announcement soon

Quick Links