The news that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) was among the 118 Chinese-owned apps, which the Indian government had decided to ban on Wednesday, broke many hearts.
The app’s popularity in India can be gauged from the fact that 25 per cent of its global gamer base and over 175 million game installations came from India.
Post the decision, The Morning Standard, reached out to hardcore fans of the games and this is what they had to say:
SUKHENDER BANSAL, 23,
BUSINESSMAN, BHAJANPURA
I used to spend four-five hours a day playing with my friends. It was a fun time because we would chat and play. When the government started banning apps, I was afraid that PUBG would get banned because it operates in collaboration with Chinese company Tencent. My elder brother has started playing more post the news of ban. He wants to make the most of it till it’s operational. PUBG is a feeling.
SHASHANK SHEKHAR, 34,
FREELANCE JOURNALIST, INDIRAPURAM
I have been playing PUBG since 2017. Initially, I used to play for four hours, but later it I used it to interact and chill with my group. It’s the same feeling when IPL got banned and I will have to look for a new platform to give me that same feeling. There are similar games, but they are not as interactive, and the game pay is not up to the mark.
ABHISHEK SINGH, 25,
GRAPHIC ARTIST, NOIDA
I used to play three-four matches every day. I am sad because there’s no game like this. Last month,
I read somewhere that the government will not ban it. I have played Call of Duty, but its interface is not
as good. PUBG is more realistic. I don’t think I will ever be able to find another game like this.
URGAN SUBBA, 27,
COMMANDO, DELHI POLICE
I have been playing the game for the last three years. After work hours, I made sure to play it for 2-3 hours a day as it refreshes my mind. But the day I got to know about the ban, I stopped playing it because the nation comes before anything else. Now, I am thinking of downloading Call of Duty.
AASTHA SHARMA, 28,
HOUSEWIFE, PUNJABI BAGH
I started playing PUBG during the lockdown because I had a lot of free time at hand. I developed a different kind of attachment with the game over this period. I used to play it at night to relax. Post the news of the ban, I keep checking my phone for whether it’s still available or not. We will play it till it’s there. Banning apps is not enough and I think the government should take more measures to deal with the China issue.
KAUSHIK BARUA, 25,
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER, PANDAV NAGAR
I started playing it regularly in 2016, every day after coming back home, for 1-2 hours. It’s a stress buster. I even used stream it on Facebook, not for commercial purposes but just to show off my gaming skills to those my profile. I am a tech geek so I will find a way to play PUBG, but it’s a blow to those gamers for whom it was a source of income.
AAKASH UPADHYAY, 26,
HR PROFESSIONAL, GHAZIABAD
I started playing it in March last year for four-five hours when I was sitting idle at home, post a leg fracture. I have mixed feelings because I love the game. The interface is more lucrative than other games like Call of Duty. I have the PC version that has not been banned, but the mobile version was way better. If the government has taken the decision citing security breach, then that’s okay. I have not
decided whether I will move on to other game.