PUBG addiction takes on children in India, critics seek ban

People generally look at kids playing computer games with suspicion. With the arrival of PUBG, this feeling has intensified. Opposition to PUBG (Player unknown’s battlegrounds) is mounting from various quarters.

Several organisations have pointed that PUBG is turning children into addicts, adversely affecting their studies. Following which, the Gujarat government has already issued an order banning primary school children from playing the game.

Moreover, doctors in Kashmir also have sought a ban on PUBG.

Issuing its order, the Gujarat government has cited a letter from the National Child Rights Commission to all state governments demanding a ban on the game. The ban on PUBG in Gujarat applies to primary schoolkids and District preliminary education officers in the state have been tasked with implementing the order.

According to The Doctors’ Association of Kashmir, PUBG is more addictive than drugs. Doctors have urged parents and teachers to prevent the children from playing the game.

The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association also supports a ban blaming the game for the mass failure in classes 10 and 12.

PUBG is a multi-player online shooter game which can be played on personal computers, mobile phones as well as game consoles.

However, interestingly, while there has been a clamour to ban PUBG, nobody seems to be bothered about Fortnite battle royale, a similar game from the same game engine.

PUBG and Fortnite had been launched together but soon split ways and are competing with each other in the games market. Though Fortnite leads in revenue, PUBG is far ahead of its competitor in popularity in India.

Meanwhile, the registration for ‘PUBG mobile India series’ carrying a prize money of Rs one crore, closed recently. As many as 2,000 teams will fight it out in the play-off competitions to be held from February 10 to 24. The finals, scheduled in March, will witness the battle between 20 teams.