Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is now available for download on select Android devices, according to several users online. The battle royale game, which was banned in India for ten months over security concerns, has been allowed to resume operations by the Indian government. However, the game is not yet available on either Google or Apple’s app storefronts and can only be downloaded using the Play Store URL.
Download Availability
Several users have reported that BGMI is available for download on the Google Play Store without any prior confirmation from publisher Krafton. However, the title is not visible in most of the review units of phones. Gadgets 360 has confirmed that the game can be downloaded only through the web (browser) version. The servers are currently offline, so users who have managed to download the game haven’t been able to play it yet.
Restrictions and Adjustments
Krafton has stated that BGMI will be available in the country ‘soon’ but has not provided any official release details. The Indian government has approved the game for a three-month trial period, during which the game will be monitored to ensure there are no issues of “user harm” or “addiction.” The title is reported to be making several adjustments, starting with a set playtime restriction, limited to a certain number of hours, aimed at lowering addiction risks. Gore also seems to be the target, with the default color of blood being changed from red to green or blue.
Impact on Indian E-sports Industry
BGMI was pulled from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in July 2022, under Section 69 of the IT Act, which heavily affected the Indian e-sports industry. The industry had seen a boom in mobile gaming when PUBG came around. A BGMI tournament also aired on mainstream television with a prize pool of Rs. 1.5 crore. Dead by Daylight Mobile was recently delisted from mobile storefronts without providing an explicit reason, but it is assumed to be related to the game’s publisher, NetEase, which is a Chinese company responsible for distribution within Japan, Korea, and South Asian countries.
BGMI is now available for download on select Android devices in India. However, the game is not yet available on either Google or Apple’s app storefronts. The Indian government has approved the game for a three-month trial period, during which the game will be monitored to ensure there are no issues of “user harm” or “addiction.” The title is reported to be making several adjustments, starting with a set playtime restriction, limited to a certain number of hours, aimed at lowering addiction risks. The impact of BGMI’s ban on the Indian e-sports industry was significant, and it remains to be seen how the game’s return will affect the industry.
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