PUBG Corp, the company that publishes PUBG Mobile is looking to hand over distribution rights to an Indian partner amidst the ongoing ban, according to the latest reports. One of the most popular Battle Rolaye titles in India, PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite were among the list of 118 apps banned by the Government of India over alleged involvement in activities that are damaging to the sovereignty and integrity of the country. Because of this, Tencent have lost a lot of money and have now lost the license to publish PUBG Mobile as well.
According to a report by Mint, PUBG Mobile’s publisher PUBG Corporation is in talks with an Indian gaming firm to distribute the game in India. The report cites “a person aware of the negotiations” who mentions that the PUBG Corp. is looking for an Indian partner to hand over the distribution rights in the country.
Earlier this week, PUBG Corporation severed its ties with Tencent Games in India and currently owns the publishing rights for PUBG Mobile in India. PUBG Corporation is a subsidiary of the South Korean gaming firm Bluehold Studio. And you thought PUBG Mobile has links to China?
While the name of the Indian gaming firm remains a mystery, rumours are ripe of Reliance Jio Platforms taking over distribution of PUBG Mobile in India. Though, there’s no official word about any licensing deal between PUBG Corp and Jio yet, so we would advise our readers take this with a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, PUBG Corp. has said that it wants to work with the Indian government and follow the guidelines. “PUBG Corporation fully understands and respects the measures taken by the government as the privacy and security of player data is a top priority for the company. It hopes to work hand-in-hand with the Indian government to find a solution that will allow gamers to once again drop into the battlegrounds while being fully compliant with Indian laws and regulations,” the statement reads.
PUBG Mobile had logged in over 18 crores (180 million) downloads by the time of being de-listed by the Play Store in India. Currently, players of the battle royale title in India are unable to download the new PUBG Mobile 1.0 update that was released earlier this week.
Following the ban on PUBG Mobile in India last week, a 21-year old student from West Bengal took his own life for not being able to play the game on his phone. You can read about that story here.