Krafton corporate logo (Krafton)
South Korean gaming giant Krafton’s popular game Battleground Mobile India, the Indian version of its global hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, has been banned for download in India, the Seoul headquarters confirmed on Friday.
Both Google and Apple removed the gaming app from their respective app stores on Thursday, citing the Indian government’s ban order.
“We are still checking the situation with the local authorities,” a Krafton spokesman said, without elaborating, including the exact reason behind the government order.
“Users in India who have already downloaded the app can still play the game without any issues,” the official added.
The latest ban comes after India banned the original version, better known as PUBG, along with more than 100 apps believed to be linked to China amid escalating tensions between the two rival countries.
At the time, PUBG was distributed in India by Krafton’s publishing partner Tencent, the Chinese tech giant.
Krafton managed to return to the market last year with the revamped Indian version, also known as BGMI, after cutting ties with Tencent and pledging a $100 million investment aimed at boosting India’s gaming ecosystem. As of July, more than 100 million users had downloaded the new app.
Speculation about the reasons behind the latest ban is growing. Among the speculations, some pointed to a case in June in which Indian authorities opened an investigation into a child accused of killing his mother under the influence of BGMI.
Amid investor concern about the business outlook in one of Krafton’s key markets, its shares fell 4.5 percent to close at 233,500 won ($180) on Friday. The benchmark Kospi closed 0.67 percent higher compared to the previous trading day.
By Byun Hye-jin (hyejin2@heraldcorp.com)
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