PUBG Mobile is the highest-earning mobile game for the year 2020 generating revenue of over $2.6 billion. However, it seems like it won’t be coming back anytime soon as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has made it official that no permission has been granted to PUBG Mobile to relaunch itself in India. Responding to a RTI Query filed on 30 November – MEITY declared, “MEITY has not given any permission for launch of PUBG.”
Earlier on 30 November, GEM Esports reported a query file to MEITY which stated:
“Dear Sir/ Mam
In the month of September 2020, Government of India with the consultation of your Department (MEITY) banned various Chinese apps. One of which was PUBG Mobile Game. Now, there are many news which says that the game is being relaunched and the same is made specifically for the Indian Public and will not be harmful to the nation and its citizens. I would like to know if your department has given any such permission to the game so that it can be re-launched.”
GEM Esports has shared the ministry reply on their Instagram handle in which the Central Public Information Officer has responded to the query filed through a RTI –
View this post on Instagram
After the launch of PUBG Mobile India teaser, the fans were eagerly expecting the game to come back but now it feels like they have to wait longer. PUBG Mobile India was expected to launch in the country within this month. However, the company has not yet received a nod from the government.
A PUBG official told the Insidesport, “Efforts from PUBG were made in the right earnest, but the situation is such that there has been no headwind or progress on the matter. We don’t see the game making a comeback in India for the next few months, at least not before March 2021.”