PUBG Mobile avoids potentially devastating ban
The last few months have been exhausting if you’re a big fan of mobile gaming or even just a fan of the ultra-popular Fortnite or PUBG. These apps have been scrutinized with Fortnite developer, EPIC Games, going toe-to-toe with the like of Google and Apple by attempting to circumvent the TOS for the Play Store and iOS App Store.
There were expectations that PUBG would be able to recapture some of the market that was lost when Fortnite exploded onto the scene, but then it was hit with a swift ban in India. Just last week, India banned 118 apps that had ties to China, with many of which falling under the Tencent app publishing company.
With the ban, that rendered two of the most popular games unavailable, yet, instead of provoking countries or companies, PUBG’s developers have turned to an alternative route. Earlier today, the developers announced that it would no longer be publishing its games under the Tencent Games umbrella in India. Instead, the company will be looking into a different method in an effort to bring the popular game back to gamers in India.
“Moving forward, PUBG Corporation will take on all publishing responsibilities within the country. As the company explores ways to provide its own PUBG experience for India in the near future, it is committed to doing so by sustaining a localized and healthy gameplay environment for its fans.”
Before India struck down the ban, there were reports which suggested that PUBG Mobile had more than 40 million monthly active users in India alone. This is a revenue stream that simply cannot be lost for good, as we have seen reports that Epic Games is estimated to lose $26 million in revenue due to not being available for download on iOS or Android.