Battlegrounds Mobile India launch date confirmed, available for pre-load now

(Image: Krafton India)

Ten months after suspension from the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store, Krafton's Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) will re-launch in the country on May 29.

As reported by Moneycontrol on May 19, the popular gaming app would be the first to come back among 300-odd banned by the government. Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar tweeted that the game had a three-month trial approval for now after Krafton made the necessary infrastructure and data security changes.

Also Read | ‘Shaken’ by BGMI suspension, Indian game studios seek PM's intervention for 'fair treatment’ of all

The Battle Royale was pulled from app stores after the government issued an order against it, the second time the game was banned after the removal of Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) in September 2020.

Krafton, the developers of BGMI and one of South Korea's biggest gaming companies, said the game would be available to pre-load on Android, starting May 27 and will be playable on May 29. Apple's iPhone users will be able to download and play the game from May 29.

The company said that they would aim for a staggered launch, "In anticipation of an overwhelming number of downloads", and that the process ensured seamless and uninterrupted gameplay.

Also Read | BGMI is available on three-month trial as govt lifts ban

"We are thrilled to announce that Battlegrounds Mobile India is now available for preload. We are consistently striving to deliver a smooth gameplay experience to our users and are excited to welcome everyone back," Krafton India CEO Sean Hyunil Sohn said.

"We once again, thank the authorities and our users for their continued support as we look forward to elevating the gaming experience for our community in India. See you on the battlegrounds!"