In terms of the Indian market, it is safe to say that no other mobile battle royale game gained the level of popularity that BGMI did. The title was nothing short of a behemoth with a thriving esports scene and a flourishing avenue for content creation.
However, the battle royale title met the terrible fate of being banned in India in late July 2022. Passionate players in the community were left heartbroken when the ban hammer fell.
While there haven't been many developments from Krafton recently, the influencers and content creators have kept fans' spirits up. Here's what Krafton had to say about the ban and other news regarding the title.
Krafton's statement, developments, and other news regarding BGMI's ban
Krafton's statement
On July 30, Krafton India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn issued the first statement regarding the suspension of BGMI in India:
"Dear Patron of BGMI, we are committed to the Indian market and are positive about the opportunities in the country. At KRAFTON Inc., the security and privacy of our user data is of utmost importance to us. We have always been compliant with all laws and regulations in India, including data protection laws and regulations, and will continue abiding by them."
He further stated that they appreciate the fans' support and are working hard to communicate with the relevant authorities to resolve the issues. Sean also mentioned that the community should be patient to hear more from Krafton.
Additionally, Krafton CFO Bae Dong-geun also discussed the BGMI ban in the company's "2022 2Q Earnings Results Conference Call." He was quoted saying:
"We fully respect and understand the Government of India's concerns, and as we have been directly operating the service based on rigid data security standards and monitoring. We will closely cooperate with the authorities to find different ways for Indian users to keep enjoying BGMI."
Apart from this, there have been no other statements from Krafton's side.
Developments
While there is no certainty, there have been a few developments indicating a return for BGMI to the Indian market. Several content creators and popular personalities have provided updates and cryptic hints on their social media accounts, keeping fans on their toes. A few of them include:
Ghatak
On August 17, Ghatak provided a cryptic message on his Twitter account. He had stated:
"Finally things are working out but yes it will take some time"
Shiva Nandy (Skyesports CEO)
Around a week ago, Shiva Nandy uploaded a story to his Instagram handle. Part of the message in the story mentioned:
"100% the game will be back. Believe in the process."
Dynamo
During one of his live streams in early August, Dynamo answered a question from a fan regarding the unban of the game. Here's what he had to say:
"I believe BGMI will get unbanned because the response is quite positive."
As a result of these statements, there have been high hopes for a return within the game's community. Fans have been hoping that the statements of the personalities will come true and the title returns soon.