Krafton is expected to open pre-registration for Battlegrounds Mobile India with Sanhok Map before a wider release takes place.
Battlegrounds Mobile India has teased the popular Sanhok map through a poster on its official Facebook page. The game is the Indian version of PUBG Mobile and the name was recently revealed by publisher Krafton. Battlegrounds Mobile India does not have a release date yet but the developers have said it is coming soon. The game is anticipated to be quite similar to the original PUBG Mobile with a few India specific changes. Krafton had also announced it will build an esports ecosystem while bringing in-game content regularly.
The official Facebook account for Battlegrounds Mobile India shared a poster of what appears to be the Ban Tai map location that is from Sanhok – one of the 4×4 maps in-game. Sanhok was added to PUBG Mobile in September 2018 and will now be playable in Battlegrounds Mobile India. It is a relatively small map compared to the original Erangel and Miramar maps but bigger than the most recent map that was added to the game, Livik. The poster does not share any more details about the game and its release date is still a mystery.
Krafton teased the map location in a photo with the caption that says, “We’ve waited for you as long as you have for us! Gather your squads and prepare to rule the battlegrounds!” There is no mention of the map, but ardent PUBG Mobile players are finding it difficult not to compare it with the Sanhok map, which is available on the regular version. The photo shows a level-three helmet dropped off on a cliff while there are a few huts in the area below it beside the sea. But there are no avatars to be seen or any sort of weapon or vehicle to give away more details.
Even though the PUBG Mobile makers may retain the Sanhok map — and others such as Vikendi, Miramar, Pochinki, and Erangel, their names may be replaced for good. Much like how PUBG Mobile India became Battlegrounds Mobile India, Krafton may switch to a different naming scheme for maps and other elements in the game, just to avoid comparisons with PUBG Mobile because of last year’s ban.
A recent report by IGN India has said that Krafton has probably reached out to content creators in India urging them not to use “PUBG Mobile” anywhere in their content that goes on social media. There is a screenshot available, as well, where Krafton seems to be telling one of the creators that “We are a Korean Game with an Indian version just created for India. We would also suggest to not use PUBGM in your content anymore as it was banned and we don’t want it to be banned again. We would recommend using words like Battlegrounds Mobile India, Korean game, Indian version in your game.”
Battlegrounds Mobile India is going to be a free-to-play game for just the Indian market, as per Krafton. As such, it is prudent for the company to bring elements that will be more reflective of the game’s attachment to the Indian market. This may involve renaming maps after the names of Indian cities.
For now, Krafton has not yet revealed the launch date of Battleground Mobile India. But according to multiple rumors, the trailer of this game will be released on 31 May 2021. At the same time, this game will be available to users from June.
Privacy and data are the first priority
The company has said that users’ privacy and data security is our first priority. We are working with other companies to protect data. The company has further stated that the game’s data center will be built in India as per the rules of the central government.
Having said this, the Government of India had banned 118 mobile apps including PUBG in September last year. A statement issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated that 118 mobile apps were a threat to India’s sovereignty and integrity, India’s defense, state security and public order. The ban was imposed keeping the security of Indian users in mind.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology says that a number of questions were arising regarding the data gathered by these apps and it has been decided to ban them keeping in mind national security. The order also said that the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Censor and the Home Ministry had also demanded a ban on these apps.
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