As a like-to-like replacement for PUBG Mobile, BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) proved to be a success after its launch in July 2021. BGMI not only retained the user base of PUBG Mobile but also helped rebuild the latter's esports scene, which was encountering some hiccups at the time.
However, at the end of July 2022, Battlegrounds Mobile India became another popular entry to the list of banned games and applications in India. It was quite obvious that the game's sudden removal from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store shocked many. Even after over a month, the game's "unban" date has been a hot topic for many users.
Since the ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India transpired, many dates regarding the game's return to the Play Store/App Store have surfaced. However, these dates are far from reality and should not be believed unless they are announced by Krafton, the publisher/developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India.
The BGMI unban dates should not be trusted to the absence of Krafton's statements
The main reason one should not trust any unban date is the uncertainty around the developments, as Krafton has not provided any updates on the matter. Krafton released its official statement regarding the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban on 30 July 2022.
Furthermore, the publishers are said to have communicated with concerned authorities regarding the resolution of the matter. Thus, fans need to wait for Krafton's response on the future of Battlegrounds Mobile India in the country.
Moreover, the unban dates that are making rounds online have also used edited images of fake announcements regarding the return date of Battlegrounds Mobile India. These edited images feature dates that keep changing every now and then and have no credibility.
Will Battlegrounds Mobile India ever get unbanned?
As of this writing, there hasn't been any concrete evidence that hints at government agencies repealing the ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India. Thus, users should not keep their hopes high regarding their game's return.
Users should consider the case of titles like PUBG Mobile and Garena Free Fire, which the Indian government banned and were never seen in the Indian market again. Hence, one should move on to an alternative BR shooter until Krafton makes any announcement.
Here are some of the more popular battle royale games than can be a decent replacement for BGMI for Indian users:
- New State Mobile (Formerly known as PUBG New State)
- Apex Legends Mobile
- Call of Duty Mobile
- Garena Free Fire MAX
- Farlight 84
- Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier
Each game mentioned above brings something different and may not provide the same feel as BGMI's gameplay. Still, gamers can consider New State Mobile as it offers a similar in-game experience as BGMI/PUBG Mobile.
The reason behind the ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India
According to the allegations on BGMI, the game's servers in India interacted with its China servers and shared sensitive user data. Thus, the Government of India banned Battlegrounds Mobile India for alleged unauthorized data sourcing out of the country.