Battle Royale video games draw flak from UAE parents and Britain's royal family

Mobile gaming has gained considerable momentum in the past year with the dawn of battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite. Both games are undoubtedly two of the most popular titles in the world of gaming and are quite addictive. The World Health Organization also included gaming as a disorder in June 2018.

PUBG is the most controversial and talked about video game in India with several states in the country considering banning the game altogether. But India isn’t the only country as PUBG phobia is beginning to spread across Asia to the UAE and Indonesia.

Parents in Dubai have made several statements to Khaleej Times regarding popular battle royale.

Gulnaz Arif Moula – “The PUBG should certainly be banned because it negatively affects the minds of children, which makes them very aggressive.”

The game has received severe backlash from multiple parents in the UAE, citing in-game and lack of concentration on school work as underlying issues they’re facing. The West Java chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is also considering banning Players Unknown Battle Ground stating it would be working on a fatwa for the game.

Semuel Pangerapan, the ministry’s director general of applications and information, told CNN: "If MUI thinks the game is destructive, they will review it first and then submit a report to the ministry. We are ready to follow up on any request for a ban."

PUBG isn’t the only game facing flak, as Price Harry, primarily known for being part of the Royal Family or having a stunning wedding deemed Fortnite as “more addictive than drugs and alcohol”. The Prince also called for an outright ban on the popular video game.

Battle Royale video games are drawing up tons of controversies, but game developers have shown little concern. This is all the more evident as big names like EA and Activision have only recently jumped on the battle royale bandwagon.