Online multiplayer battle royale game, PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) has severed relationship with Tencent in India after the country banned apps with links to China.
PUBG Mobile was of the 118 Chinese apps axed by the Indian government over national security concerns.
PUBG Corporation said it would take on publishing responsibilities in India in a bid to have its game reinstated. It is not clear if that will be enough to reverse the ban.
The Developer in a statement said, “In light of recent developments, PUBG Corporation has made the decision to no longer authorise the PUBG Mobile franchise to Tencent Games in India.”
Tencent on its part said its partnerships with PUBG Corporation in other markets would not be affected by the move.
PUBG has been hit hard by the ban in India where it has its biggest market with over 175 million downloads to date. It accounted for about a quarter of the game’s downloads globally.
India’s IT Ministry in defence of its action had last week said it took the drastic step based on “credible information” that they were acting against the country’s interests.
It said it had received many complaints from “various sources” including several reports about “misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India”.
“The compilation of this data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.”
The ban comes against the backdrop of tensions along a disputed Himalayan border.
Both India and China deployed more troops to the Ladakh region in June and clashes have left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead.
Call Duty Mobile developer Activision also confirmed last week it had become the latest firm to part ways with Tencent.
A spokesperson said the decision related to US President Donald Trump’s orders which restricted US companies from conducting transactions with Tencent and its subsidiaries.
