PUBG could soon see a release on mobile, thanks to a decision announced by the game’s publishers’ Chinese partners, the tech giant Tencent.
Bluehole Studio’s tense shooter, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, seems unable to go a week without stealing headlines. The barnstorming Battle Royale-style game is kicking off a burgeoning esports scene, and last week finally secured an official release partner in China. Tencent will operate PUBG in the region, ensuring the game meets certain compliance standards with the Chinese government, and overseeing the title’s distribution.
Even without an official local server, the game has already been popular in China, despite users requiring a VPN to play. The area also suffers from a widespread cheating problem that Tencent will be eager to stamp out. But even burdened with multiple challenges to ensure that PUBG transitions properly, the company is already looking ahead to creating a mobile version.
The Chinese giant has already seen success with Honor of Kings, the League of Legends-inspired mobile MOBA which was released in Europe in August as ‘Arena of Valor’ after reaching popularity in the South-East Asian market. It’s not unlikely to expect a similar trajectory for a PUBG-esque mobile port, although there’s been no official confirmation that Tencent will be looking to release globally just yet. If the game garners a strong following in China, players elsewhere could anticipate getting their hands on a mobile version further down the line – but as it stands, it is too early to say when that might happen.
Esports Insider says: With mobile gaming’s immense popularity in China, it is no surprise to see Tencent enter with early plans for a release on the platform. Given the company’s track record for securing strong audiences for their titles, it seems very likely that we’ll be able to enjoy the game on other platforms internationally in the future too.