PUBG Mobile's roaring success in India has met several obstacles, but the latest one serves a huge blow on the face of the popular battle-royale game. Rajkot City Police booked 10 individuals under IPC Section 188 for violating the notification issued by Police Commissioner for playing PUBG Mobile despite a ban in place.
PUBG Mobile players were warned of serious consequences for violating a ban in four Gujarat cities, including Rajkot, Surat, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar. The 10 arrests that were made this week is in line with the official order by the police, but 6 of them have already been granted bail. While a trail is in order for the accused, the commissioner clarified that they merely "booked" the individuals rather than arresting them.
The heavy-handed approach against PUBG Mobile has raised several questions on the freedom to practice one's own will in the country. But the game has attracted a lot of flak for being the reason behind gaming addiction, mental health imbalance, divorces and even suicides. Following severe criticisms, PUBG Mobile assured that it will foster a healthy and balanced in-game environment by rolling out new features and enhancements.
The latest arrests certainly cast a dark shadow on the game and hinder PUBG's growth in India. In order to contain the situation, PUBG Mobile released a statement that is reassuring players as well as promising an effective solution to get on the good side of the legal authorities.
"We were thus surprised to learn that local authorities in a few cities have decided to impose a ban on playing our game. We are working to understand the legal basis of such bans, and hope we can have a constructive dialogue with relevant authorities to explain our objectives and that they withdraw the prohibition. To PUBG MOBILE players, we want to assure you that we are on your side and we will try our best to find a reasonable solution," PUBG Mobile said in an email statement.
In addition to that, PUBG Mobile reaffirmed its stand on the game's core purpose to entertain its players and advised players that it should be enjoyed in a responsible manner. The developers are also looking at limiting play time for under-aged players.
"PUBG MOBILE is a game. It is meant merely for entertainment and should be enjoyed in a healthy and responsible manner. In consonance with our endeavour to continue promoting responsible gaming experience, we are working on the introduction of a healthy gameplay system in India to promote balanced, responsible gaming, including limiting play time for under-aged players," PUBG Mobile added.
