Good riddance

A day before the Indian government banned 118 mobile apps with a Chinese link, including PUBG (Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, for the uninitiated), a 17-year-old boy killed himself in Gujarat’s Anand district after being scolded by his father for playing the addictive video game. This suicide illustrates how PUBG had driven a wedge between impressionable youngsters and their parents. Not surprisingly, many parents and teachers have welcomed the ban, even as gamers have been left shell-shocked. The game has about 50 million active players globally, including millions in India. Of its more than 600 million downloads worldwide, India is on top with a share of 175 million. PUBG Mobile recorded a global revenue gain of $1.3 billion (over Rs 9,700 crore) in the first half of 2020; obviously, a sizeable proportion of this moolah came from India.

The PUBG craze rose sharply in the country during the Covid-induced lockdown as online entertainment became a lifeline for homebound people. However, the game’s enormous popularity triggered apprehensions about its impact on children’s studies as well as their mental health. Though the government has cited concerns over citizens’ privacy and national security for the app ban — the third in just over two months — there is more to it than meets the eye, considering the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh. It is hoped that Indian startups will make the most of this opportunity to come up with quality apps that are in consonance with local laws and sensibilities and make a significant contribution towards revving the Indian economy.

There is also a need to take a hard look at the larger picture — the deep penetration of Chinese brands into India’s entertainment and news industries. With Chinese telecom giants such as Oppo and Xiaomi accounting for eight out of every 10 smartphones sold in India, their stakes in India’s online market (second largest in the world after China’s) are quite high. The Indian online gaming industry is expected to be worth $1.1 billion (around Rs 8,250 crore) by 2021. Stricter quality regulations and import controls, along with innovation, can help India resist the revenue-devouring Dragon.

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