Is BGMI Getting Banned in India Again?
It seems like the Indian gaming landscape may be in trouble again. According to reports, one of the most popular titles in India, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is under scrutiny again by the Indian government due to fears of misuse of users’ data. The report suggests that the data could be linked directly to China. This has led to many gamers wondering if BGMI is getting banned in India again. Here’s everything you need to know.
BGMI Might Be Getting Banned in India Again
According to a report by News18, a Union government’s cybersecurity division official, who coordinates with law enforcement agencies, has suggested discontinuing BGMI in India.
New concerns with BGMI come due to a range of factors, such as the entry of Pakistani national Seema Haider into India, who apparently met her partner Sachina Meena with the help of BGMI. The Indian government has also expressed concerns that the data being collected by BGMI could include location, audio, and other crucial information. The government is worried that all the collected information can be used for cyberattacks and surveillance. This is due to the fact that BGMI is a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile, which was banned in India earlier due to its connection with Chinese partners.
IS BGMI Getting Banned in India Again?
Although reports suggest that BGMI’s servers are located in the US, the Indian authorities aren’t sure that user data isn’t being transferred elsewhere. The situation has given rise to a detailed inquiry on Krafton, the mind behind BGMI. A meeting is scheduled to discuss the issue, and the outcome could determine the fate of BGMI in the country.
For now, Krafton hasn’t officially responded to this issue. The meeting is likely to discuss BGMI’s data transfer issues, and if the authorities aren’t satisfied with Krafton’s answers, the game could be banned.
Can the BGMI Ban Severely Impact Indian Gaming Landscape?
Undoubtedly, the Indian gaming industry is coming up as the fastest-growing gaming market in Asia. According to the FICCI-EY report, the Indian gaming industry has around 450 million people on various gaming platforms. Krafton’s BGMI has 100 million users, of which 71.8% engage in eSports. The Indian gaming industry’s growth can be severely impacted if BGMI is banned again, and the Esports scene might come to a halt. However, the concerns raised by authorities are crucial for India’s data security.
