Mumbai: South Korean video game company Krafton has officially launched Battlegrounds Mobile India in the country, a successor to the popular mobile game PUBG that was blocked by the government last year. Battlegrounds Mobile India is meant to be a replacement for PUBG Mobile.
Krafton announced the launch via an official post on Facebook. “Fasten your seatbelts and get your squads ready, we welcome one and all to the official launch of BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA!," the post reads. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the fans in India who have been waiting for the official launch of Krafton's BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA. As of July 2, 2021, thanks to your support, BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA has been officially released."
The new mobile game, developed exclusively for gaming enthusiasts and fans in India, had received 40 million pre-registrations that went live on May 18, 2021, the company said in a statement.
PUBG Mobile was one of the more than 200 Chinese apps banned in India last October following the Galwan Valley clash with China. Battlegrounds Mobile India had recently also stirred controversy over the alleged misuse of Indian players' data by sending it to servers in China. The company, at that time, had said it will continue to closely monitor and protect any data being transferred to "unexpected and restricted IP addresses". The company had also said it is working to fully comply with the Indian laws and regulations.
“We at Krafton are delighted to introduce Battlegrounds Mobile India for our fans in India today. Designed exclusively for our Indian fans and gamers, Battlegrounds Mobile India will provide a superlative gaming experience," Krafton Inc CEO CH Kim said speaking on the launch of its new game, as mentioned by PTI.
"This is just the beginning of a series of new content, collaborations, and esports tournaments coming users' way and the company will strive to ensure that fans and community in India can fully enjoy the battlegrounds experiences", he added.
Krafton recently also made its first India investment in Mumbai-based game live-streaming startup Loco. The company was among the multiple investors in the startup's first-ever fundraising.
