BGMI ban roundup: Ban date, Krafton's statements, influencer reactions, and more

The ban on BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) is not news to Indian users, as similar developments have happened in the case of PUBG Mobile and Free Fire. Still, the move from the Government of India was quite unexpected.

Understandably, the ban's decision was not welcomed by Battlegrounds Mobile India users. Still, many, including popular influencers, showcased their creativity and feelings via memes about the situation.

Readers can learn more about the timeline of the ban on the India-specific PUBG Mobile variant in the following section.

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BGMI ban: A timeline for the banning of Indian PUBG Mobile version

(Image via Instagram/Sportskeedaesports)

The Government of India banned BGMI on July 28, 2022 as Google and Apple took the game down from the Play Store and the App Store. However, the Indian government didn't officially announce the ban, with many becoming aware of it due to Google's statement:

"On receipt of the order, following established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on the Play Store in India."

Thus, Krafton's response did not mention the ban the following day and was limited to an enquiry regarding BGMI's disappearance from the Play Store. Here's what the statement read:

"We are clarifying how BGMI was removed from the Google Play and App stores and will let you know once we get specific information."

(Image via Instagram/Sportskeedaesports)

However, on July 29, 2022, it became clear due to various reports that the Indian government banned Battlegrounds Mobile India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

The reason cited by the sources behind the ban was related to the unauthorized sharing of data by the Battlegrounds Mobile India servers. Reports alleged that the server in India was interacting with Chinese ones.

Thus, the second response from Krafton was their official statement addressing the game's ban. Here's the statement that came out on July 30, 2022:

"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 are 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."

Apart from clarifying the allegations, the South Korean publishers added a thank you note to the Battlegrounds Mobile India fans:

"We thank you for all the love and support you have shown us in our journey until here, and we hope to continue our association in the future as well. There may be questions in your minds regarding the current situation about the country's most loved game – BGMI. In line with this, we have been working hard to communicate our sincerity with the concerned authorities and resolve the issues."

According to sources, Krafton has communicated with the concerned authorities regarding the ban, but there haven't been any updates so far.

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Reactions from Battlegrounds Mobile India Influencers

Popular esports personality Mortal expressed his disappointment after news of the ban surfaced online. He tweeted his concerns about esports' growth in India, before addressing the despair among players.

(Image via X/Mortal04907880)

In another tweet, Mortal hinted at switching to another game like Valorant while also showing interest in Valorant Mobile (after the potential release).

Apart from him, another popular influencer, Ghatak, has been quite vocal since the ban was announced. Here are some of his tweets:

(Image via X/GHATAK_official)

Another influential figure in the Indian esports ecosystem, Shiva Nandy, CEO of Skyesports, has also opined on the state of BGMI. His response regarding the game's return to the Indian market has been positive.

Skyesports CEO, Shiva Nandy's statement (Image via Instagram/Sportskeedaesports)

What Animesh "Thug" Agarwal said after the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban (Image via Instagram/@8bit_thug)

Animesh "Thug" Agrawal is another popular celebrity who has commented on the matter. However, his views pertain to moving on from Battlegrounds Mobile India and shifting to a game like New State Mobile.