BGM India: South Korean gaming powerhouse KRAFTON has successfully secured full approval from the Indian authorities to operate its popular battle royale game, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), in the country. This significant milestone comes following a rigorous three-month audit process, according to media reports.
Under the terms of the approval, BGMI will now enter a phase of ongoing quarterly assessments to maintain its regulatory clearance. This development is poised to provide substantial relief to KRAFTON, as it resolves the previously looming regulatory uncertainty surrounding one of India’s highest-grossing gaming titles.
The approval arrives just in time, with the expiration of the initial three-month trial period granted to KRAFTON by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) back in May of this year, specifically for the India-exclusive game.
Background
BGMI, a success in India’s gaming landscape, temporarily suspended last year along with Free Fire, made a return in May 2023. It quickly reclaimed its position as one of the highest-grossing Android apps in the country, with industry insiders estimating its annual revenue to reach approximately $100 million.
In a strategic move reminiscent of KRAFTON, Garena introduced ‘Free Fire India,’ an India-exclusive app set for release on September 5. Additionally, the premium variant ‘Free Fire Max,’ unaffected by previous suspensions, remains available to Indian gamers.
To address data security and local server concerns, Garena partnered with Yotta, a MeitY empanelled cloud service provider under the Hiranandani Group. Yotta will manage Indian user data on local servers and provide network connectivity services to support Garena’s product offerings in India, including esports.
Furthermore, Garena has entered into an agreement with the Uttar Pradesh government to promote the development of esports in India.
Meanwhile, KRAFTON has demonstrated its commitment to India’s gaming and interactive entertainment sector by investing approximately $140 million in local startups over the past few years. The company has pledged an additional investment of $150 million over the next two to three years. This investment underscores KRAFTON’s dedication to nurturing the burgeoning gaming industry in India.
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