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Inside the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban, and the impact on India’s mobile games market

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The Indian government requested Apple and Google to remove Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) from their app stores on July 28th, one year after it launched in the country. Our research shows that the popular battle royale game, published by South Korean firm Krafton, is no longer available for download. The request comes in the wake of several allegations made against the game for being a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile, which was banned in September 2020 due to national security concerns. These concerns were recently raised in the Indian Parliament, with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stating that BGMI was a different app to PUBG Mobile, suggesting it was not a national security concern. It’s unclear what changed to cause MeitY to pull the app.

While the government has not issued a statement to confirm the game is permanently banned, Reuters reported that the title was pulled by MeitY using Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the same act that was used to justify the ban of 321 mobile apps since June 2020. BGMI is the 57th game pulled due to this regulation. The bans have primarily targeted mobile apps from China, primarily citing national security risks. BGMI’s takedown comes just 5 months after the ban of Garena Free Fire, the most popular battle royale game in India until then.

Krafton launched BGMI after PUBG Mobile was banned

MeitY originally banned PUBG Mobile in September 2020 due to national security and data privacy issues following, though not necessarily as a result of border tensions with China. While the PUBG IP is owned by Krafton, PUBG Mobile was developed and published in India by Chinese gaming giant Tencent. At the time of its ban, PUBG Mobile was the #1 game in India by both revenue and downloads and had been a key driver of mobile gaming growth in the country. The ban had a profound impact on the battle royale segment and broader gaming ecosystem, with the unserved demand satiated by Garena Free Fire over time.

Krafton announced in November 2020 that it would bring its core battle royale experience back to India, with BGMI launching in July 2021. Krafton fully committed to the Indian market by self-publishing the title, introducing local servers to store user data securely and in country, and by announcing it would invest over US$100 million in the Indian gaming, esports, entertainment and IT industries, which it has done. The game saw significantly high uptake at launch given the popularity of battle royale games in the country, with 40 million registrations prior to launch and 16 million daily active users in its first 10 days.

BGMI had over 100 million downloads in its first year

BGMI has been a huge success for Krafton and the title was on track to reach the 200 million download mark that PUBG Mobile had achieved prior to its September 2020 ban. The title had quickly become the #2 highest grossing mobile game in India and its 2022 revenue was set to exceed that of PUBG Mobile’s peak year. BGMI has also become the leading esports title in India with Krafton investing heavily in the space to set up the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series, an official league for Indian teams with a prize pool of US$260,000.

According to Niko’s Asia Esports Tracker, BGMI is the #1 title by prize pool in India, with its total 2022 prize pool accounting for 35% of total prize pool revenue for all local and regional esports tournaments. The game also saw massive endorsement from streamers, esports organizations, and teams with high participation across key events. The BGMI Masters Series LAN event was also the first tournament to be televised live on Indian TV, reaching 12.3 million viewers.

How this impacts India’s mobile game market

If BGMI does not return to app stores, we believe it may have a material impact on the short-term growth rate of India’s mobile game market and the esports ecosystem. Battle royale is the most popular mobile game genre by player spending in India according to data from Sensor Tower, accounting for over 1/3 of total mobile game spending in 2021. BGMI and Free Fire accounted for over 95% of total spend on mobile battle royale games in 2021 and H1 2022, but both titles have been removed from app stores this year. However, Niko’s research shows that Free Fire MAX, a high-end version of Free Fire from Garena, remains available on Google Play. It’s unclear how MAX is still operating on Google Play, but the MAX version was not specifically included in the ban list where Free Fire was banned.

There will also be a negative impact on the broader BGMI ecosystem, especially within esports and live streaming. Everyday players will now be looking for a new title to play, and we expect most to shift over to Free Fire MAX assuming the title continues to operate. Call of Duty: Mobile (Activision Blizzard) may also benefit given its strong position in the market as an established shooter game with a battle royale mode that consistently ranks in the top ten game revenue chart. Apex Legends Mobile (Electronic Arts), New State (Krafton – Title was formerly PUBG New State) and Farlight 84 (Lilith Games) are core battle royale games that may also benefit, but we note that these titles are not as established as Call of Duty Mobile and Free Fire MAX.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot

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iGaming software studio, Pragmatic Play, has unveiled its latest online slot, Spellmaster.

With its wizard-themed gameplay and 40,000x maximum jackpot, it will likely appeal to a broad audience, including big prize hunters and lovers of arcane fantasy.

Launched on August 18, the game is played on a 5×3 grid with 50 paylines. Reels are filled with card ranks as well as magical sceptres, spell books, potion bottles and wise owls.

Wild symbols feature the eponymous spellmaster wizard. Wilds can land at any time during the base game and feature in all but the far left reel.

The base game offers relatively standard fare. Basic symbols like the card symbols pay low prizes, which are enough to keep you in the game. Matching five premium symbols returns up to four times the original bet.

Respins And Jackpots

Players have the opportunity to win big prizes during respins. The game has different types of respin bonuses, depending on which of the three bonus orbs triggered the event. These bonuses are applied to money symbols that land during the spins.

Golden orb respins are played on a 5×6 grid. Golden orbs that land on the grid reveal one of five random jackpot names, and if the player matches three of the same jackpots, they win that prize.

Prizes range from the 12.5x Mini to the 1,875x Grand Jackpot. With red orbs, players receive multipliers between 2x and 10x any money symbols that hit, and the money symbols can be multiplied up to four times each.

Blue orbs multiply the value of randomly selected money symbols on the grid.

During the respins feature, if the entire grid is filled with money symbols, the player wins the impressive 40,000x jackpot.

Spellmaster offers bets ranging from 10p to £5 in the UK, although higher maximum bets up to €250 are available in other jurisdictions.

The game has a high volatility level, and RTP options include 94.5%, 95.5% and 96.5%. Interested bettors can play a demo of the Spellmaster game on the Pragmatic Play website.

 

The post Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown

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Endorphina, a leading B2B iGaming provider, has announced the release of its newest electrifying title, Thunder Crown, which will be available to players in online casinos starting on 21 August.

Featuring a dynamic 5×5 grid, 50 fixed paylines, and a suite of powerful features, the new slot is designed to deliver a captivating and full-sensory gaming experience.

The game invites players into a realm where the legendary Thunder Crown awaits. As lightning strikes charge its crystals, the very reels and symbols are infused with the storm’s raw power, creating an electrifying atmosphere that builds with every spin.

Thunder Crown combines classic slot mechanics with lightning-charged features, including Free Games with a guaranteed Wild symbol, a Thunder Hold Bonus Game with multipliers up to x30, Column Jackpots from 50x to 1000x total bets, and Endorphina’s Classic Risk Game to double winnings up to 10x.

The release of Thunder Crown reinforces Endorphina’s commitment to crafting memorable and visually stunning games that appeal to a wide range of players.

Will you be the one to unlock the Crown’s full power? Try the Thunder Crown demo: demo.endorphina.network.

 

The post Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder

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EVO ANNOUNCES NEXT PHASE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION

Multi-year partnerships with Qiddiya and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and new ownership of Evo by NODWIN Gaming alongside existing shareholder RTS, will fuel the global growth of events, content, and experiences

The future for Evolution Championship Series (Evo) takes a major step forward today as the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game festival enters new ownership and multi-year partnerships. Strategic agreements with NODWIN Gaming, Qiddiya, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and RTS will drive Evo’s international expansion, engaging content, and immersive experiences through 2028 and beyond.

SIE has sold its stake in Evo to NODWIN Gaming, a company backed by SIE’s parent, Sony Group Corporation. SIE will become a new global sponsor of Evo through 2028, and will continue its commitment to the fighting game community through the PlayStation Tournaments platform and key products currently in development that appeal to fighting game players.

“When SIE acquired Evo alongside RTS in 2021, our goal was to help the Evo community grow and spotlight the skills and passion of fighting game fans on a global stage,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP and Head of Global Partner Development & Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “As SIE transitions to become an Evo sponsor, the momentum for Evo has never been stronger, following a successful Las Vegas event and upcoming expansion to new regions. We look forward to supporting the continued growth of Evo globally.”

New co-owner NODWIN Gaming is a leading name in the South Asian gaming, esports, and youth entertainment industries, with Evo complementing its wide range of properties.

“Evo was built by a team whose authenticity and passion for the fighting game community are unmatched,” said NODWIN Gaming Co-Founder and Managing Director Akshat Rathee. “We will continue SIE’s great work and honor the legacy of everyone who has made it what it is today, while opening the door for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo.”

Qiddiya, which became a global partner of Evo in 2024, announced today that the company is investing in RTS, co-owner and operator of Evo, and will extend its global partnership with Evo through 2027.

“Teaming up with Qiddiya strengthens the future of RTS and what we’re building with Evo, an event that lives up to its name by driving real transformation in the fighting game community through new opportunities, deeper connections, and meaningful growth,” said Stuart Saw, CEO of RTS.

The realignment and new partnerships will also support Evo’s vision for more original content to engage the community and continue to push the boundaries of creating more profound immersive experiences during the live events.

The popularity and global presence of Evo has continued to grow. Most recently, Evo’s flagship event in Las Vegas attracted fans and competitors from more than 60 countries and crowned champions across 16 fighting game titles. The festival show floor covered 14 acres, featuring major brand activations from Chipotle as the presenting sponsor, alongside AT&T, PlayStation®, Qiddiya, Nacon, Zenni, Red Bull, White Claw Zero Proof, Under Armour, Voodoo Ranger IPA, and Grand Archive TCG.

Beyond the US, Evo returned to Japan at Tokyo Big Sight and became the largest in-person tournament in the country’s history, with approximately 30,000 attendees. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12, which has already broken a record for registrations. The event series is expanding to Singapore in 2027.

“In recent years, Evo hosted record-setting events in the USA and Japan, and our upcoming premiere in France is already breaking European records,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These latest partnerships join the ongoing support from our global and regional partners in accelerating Evo’s expansion from hosting renowned live events to serving as a nexus point for fighting game culture worldwide.”

 

The post NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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