After a nine-month ban in India, the highly popular battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is set to make a comeback. BGMI developer Krafton announced on Friday that the Indian government has given approval for the game’s operations in the country.
Expressing gratitude to the Indian authorities, Krafton India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn stated, “We are excited to announce that BGMI will be available for download soon, and we cannot wait to welcome you back to our platform.”
Although no specific timeline for the availability of BGMI was provided, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar mentioned on Twitter that the approval is for a three-month trial period after Krafton complied with concerns related to server locations and data security, among other issues. The minister added that a close watch would be kept on user harm, addiction, and other factors over the next three months before making a final decision.
BGMI was removed from the Google and Apple app stores following a government order in July 2022, without clear justification for the ban. Krafton had faced difficulties in 2020 when the Indian government banned its popular game PUBG Mobile, along with other apps with Chinese connections. In response, Krafton severed ties with Chinese company Tencent Games, which published and distributed PUBG Mobile in India, and reintroduced the game as BGMI in July 2021. BGMI gained immense popularity, attracting over 100 million registered users in India by July 2022.
Vibhor Kukreti, the government affairs head of Krafton India, emphasized the company’s commitment to compliance with regulations, stating, “Krafton is a responsible South Korean organization that abides by the law and has put in place several measures to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.”
In addition to the BGMI news, Krafton also launched a new mobile game in India called Road to Valor: Empires, developed by Dreamotion, a South Korean game development studio acquired by Krafton in 2021.
India’s gaming market was valued at $2.6 billion in FY22 and is projected to reach $8.6 billion by FY27 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27%, according to a report. Indians spent an average of 8.5 hours per week on mobile games in FY22, with significantly more time dedicated to top mid-core games like BGMI compared to top casual games.
