Tencent Bringing PUBG To Mobile Devices In China

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, popularly known as PUBG, is currently one of the most popular PC games. However, now a mobile version of this first-person shooter game may soon be made available in China.

PUBG mobile version – to retain the same feel

Several Chinese copycats of the title are already available on both Android and iOS – including from prominent names like NetEase and Xiaomi. But, the one that we are talking about will be PUBG’s official version for mobile. The Chinese holding conglomerate Tencent has collaborated with the game’s South Korean developer, Bluehole, to bring the PC game to small screens, the Chinese firm announced.

This latest announcement comes just days after Tencent revealed that it had bagged exclusive rights to publish and distribute the game in China. Some might be skeptical that the PUBG mobile version would lose the feel. Tencent, however, states that its collaboration with the PUBG Corp would ensure that the sanctity of the game remains intact even on a small screen.

Tencent, however, has not come clear on the release date of the PUBG mobile version, except for the fact that the game is still in the making and China would be the first to get it. Also, there is no information about if the mobile version would go beyond China. Chances are that success in the region would ensure its launch on smartphones globally.

It would not be hard to guess the popularity that the PUBG mobile version would garner considering the acceptance that clone titles are receiving.

Will China allow PUBG?

It would not be wrong to say that PUBG is among the biggest hit of the year. Even though it is still not fully complete, PUBG is one of the most-played games on Steam among PC gamers. Over 20 million copies of the titles have already sold. In the game, players are parachuted onto an island, where they have to fight for their lives until only one is left. As the game progresses, the play area shrinks, forcing the surviving players to get closer together.

Back in October, China’s official video-copyright body stated that survival games like PUBG are against the country’s core socialist values and hamper the mental health of youth. Tencent, however, notes that they would retain the core gameplay of PUBG, but at the same time will ensure that the game is in-line with the “relevant policies and regulations” just like the PC version of the game in the country.

When it comes to mobile games, China is now the biggest gaming market in the world. Tencent is one of the major contributors to this market with games such as Honor of Kings, which will debut on Nintendo Switch under the name Arena of Valor, notes IB Times. PUBG will be another important addition to Tencent’s growing staple of popular multiplayer video games that include games like League of Legends and Clash of Clans.

Tencent, which also owns China’s most popular social network WeChat, briefly overtook Facebook last week to become the fifth-biggest publicly traded company. Tencent also recently invested in Snapchat, hinting to use the video-sharing app for mobile gaming.

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