Game Over: PUBG Mobile Removed From Google Play And App Store

It's been more than 24 hours since the ban of 118 Chinese apps, including PUBG, was announced. The popular mobile game has been removed from the Apple App Store late night on September 3, and the Google Play Store on September 4, following the directive by the Indian government.

PUBG Removed From iOS, Android

To note, this means new users won't be able to download the PUBG Mobile, PUBG Mobile Lite, or hundreds of other banned apps from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. However, if you already have the game downloaded, it still opens. We tried opening the game on our iOS and Android devices and it still runs.

That said, it's only a matter of time before the ISPs begin blocking the server access to PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite in India. After all, the app is being pulled down from the Play Store and the App Store - it'll only be a while for the downloaded game also to stop functioning.

Additionally, it's uncertain if the PUBG Mobile or the PUBG Mobile Lite will open when accessed from VPN apps. There are plenty of VPN app options like Nord VPN. However, when the Indian government authorities banned TikTok and other apps, it enforced a blanket ban, which means users couldn't access the app even if they tried from a VPN.

Game Over

To recall, the Indian Ministry of Information and Technology banned 118 apps with Chinese connections in India. The list included apps like Baidu, Ludo World, Alipay, and others. These apps are also removed from the Google Play and Apple App Store, unavailable to download on devices.

The most popular of the banned apps was PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite. It seems like it's game over for PUBG players in India unless the authorities and the company strike a deal and update their policies. But that seems unlikely to happen as TikTok has also been attempting the same. The best we can do is enjoy the downloaded game while it still runs on our devices!