BGMI in-app purchases have been blocked and the game banned under Section 69A of the IT Law (often used to ban Chinese apps due to national security concerns). According to various reports, it was banned again due to concerns about its data sharing and mining in China. Krafton’s BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) has been pulled from Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store following a New Delhi order.
Developers acknowledged the delisting and said they were seeking clarifications. The game is currently playable on Android, and other Krafton games are still visible in the store.
“On receipt of the order, following the established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remains available on the Play Store in India,” says a Google spokesperson. Krafton says, “We are clarifying how BGMI was removed from the Google Play Store and the App Store and will let you know once we get specific information.”
It was unclear why the Government of India ordered the delisting of Battlegrounds Mobile India. Recently, Krafton pledged to invest $100 million in India’s gaming ecosystem. They have already invested heavily in Indian startups, which include Godwin Gaming ($22.5 million), Loco ($9 million), Pratilipi ($48 million), Find ($6.5 million), Nautilus Mobile ($6.4 million), and Kuku FM ($7 million). Krafton’s India CEO, Sean Hyunil Sohn, said that BGMI complies with local regulations in India and employs about three dozen people, 70 percent of whom manage publishing operations. Social media handles are flooded with numerous rumors and speculations.