Government bans Garena, but what about Shopee and BGMI-PUBG ??

The Indian government seems to have taken a view to ban based on information available with it on various apps. It has added Garena Free Fire Illuminate to the list which is part of SEA Ltd, the holding company for Shopee, Sea Money, Garena, etc. Free Fire Max, also from Garena, continues to be available on Google Play Store, while Apple App Store removed both the versions of the game. It is for the government to now clarify whether it intends to also ban other games and also related businesses of Garena using this logic.

Garena Free Fire was one of the 54 apps banned by the Indian Government earlier this month, and this body wants the new version of PUBG to face similar action. February 14, 2022, claiming that Krafton, a South Korean studio that publishes BGMI, is a front company of Tencent Holdings.

Now NGOs have urged the government to block the Chinese gaming app BGMI-PUBG and add it to the list of 54 Chinese apps banned on February 14, 2022 saying its omission in the list is a “clear lapse in judgement on part of the Government" and asked for a procedural investigation into the antecedents and China influence of BGMI-PUBG.

In today’s data centric world, maintaining technology integrity is extremely important to protect the sovereignty of India, security of the state and defence of India. Now it is the turn of the Government to thoroughly investigate the antecedents and China influence of the BGMI-PUBG app and take immediate action if found in violation. Tencent Holdings Limited had launched PUBG in India, and it was one of the most downloaded games at the time of its ban in 2020. In less than a year, PUBG was re-introduced in India by a front company of Tencent - Krafton under the new name BGMI, a move that was clearly meant to circumvent the Indian policymakers.

It clearly shows how the company is data hungry. On paper, Tencent is the second largest shareholder of Krafton with 15.5 percent stocks. However, it is said that Tencent holds additional interests in promoter’s various businesses, through private deals hidden from the public, giving them extraordinary control on Krafton.

Most global media also refer to Krafton as Tencent backed Krafton. The Government of India has over the years taken stringent actions against Chinese applications in view of such apps engaging in activities “prejudicial to the sovereignty, and security of India”. However, some apps often do not fall under the radar of the Government simply because they mask their origin.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA