PUBG Corp says Tencent not to publish mobile game in India

PUBG Corporation, the unit of a South Korean company behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), will no longer give Tencent Games the rights to publish its popular mobile game in India, it said in a blog.

The company’s announcement came a week after India banned the game along with 117 other Chinese-origin apps as it steps up pressure on Beijing over a months-long border standoff between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

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India’s technology ministry said the apps were a threat to India’s sovereignty and security.

The ban is the latest move against Chinese companies in India amid a months-long standoff over a disputed border but the timing and the target were particularly tough for young people. They have been using the game to stay in touch with friends while schools and colleges are shut to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

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“Moving forward, PUBG Corporation will take on all publishing responsibilities within the country,” the company said, adding that it was exploring ways to provide gaming experience to Indian users in the future.

The ban is another blow for Tencent whose WeChat app was also outlawed by New Delhi in June, following a border skirmish that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. Tencent’s other flagship game - Arena of Valor - is now also banned in India.

Tencent, which ran the PUBG franchise in India, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.