BGMI, the Indian exclusive version of the popular battle royale PUBG was abruptly banned and subsequently removed from the Google Play Store as well as the Apple App Store. Initially, the reasons behind the game’s removal remained undisclosed. However, RTI later confirmed that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) officially banned BGMI following requests made by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Now, according to a News18 report, Krafton recently held discussions with officials from the Indian government who have recommended certain modifications to lift the ban on BGMI for a limited period of time. These modifications include restricting playtime to address addiction issues, removing blood from the game due to concerns about its violent nature, and making internal and server changes to prevent cyber threats, including protecting user data from potential profiling and cyber-attacks.
The Indian government has imposed restrictions on the hours of gameplay to address addiction issues, as there have been incidents of suicides and murders due to high addiction to the game. According to the report, players will no longer be able to play the game 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the specific number of hours for the playtime restriction has not been specified.
The removal of blood from the game is in response to concerns about its violent nature and its potential impact on young players. The game’s color scheme will reportedly be changed to support yellow and green blood, similar to the version currently available in China (Peacekeeper Elite).
In addition, the game has been accused of addiction, with reports of players becoming obsessed with it and committing violent acts. Concerns have also been raised about user data being harvested for profiling, which could result in targeted cyber-attacks on Indian users. The government has asked Krafton to make relevant internal and server changes to address these concerns.
In summary, the recommended modifications aim to ensure a safer and healthier gaming experience for Indian users. It remains to be seen how Krafton will implement these changes, and whether they will be sufficient to lift the ban on BGMI.
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