PUBG Mobile helped make gaming a mainstream form of entertainment in India.
The game played a major role in the growth of gaming creators, live streams, and esports.
It also showed game makers and investors that Indian players were ready to spend money on games. Even after PUBG Mobile was banned, BGMI helped keep much of the same gaming community active.
Gaming was once limited to a quick game on a phone or spending a few hours on a PC. Competitive gaming was an inaccessible idea, as no one really thought that gaming could be a legit profession to earn money.
PUBG Mobile changed that view. When the game initially launched in India, it quickly became a part of the daily lives of thousands of young people. Whether it was college friends or office colleagues, every squad enjoyed playing the game to relax. YouTube creators turned their PUBG sessions into videos. Players started following esports teams and watching tournaments. Soon, the game became entertainment and, for some, a career path.
PUBG Mobile arrived when smartphones and cheap mobile data were available across India. The best part was that the minimum specifications were so accessible that almost every smartphone could run it. Players did not need a costly gaming PC or console to join a match.
The growth of the wider gaming market soon became hard to ignore. Surveys estimated that India had about 450 million gamers in 2021, with the gaming market worth around USD 2.2 billion. It was expected to reach USD 7 billion by 2026.
PUBG also helped change the stereotypical concept that Indian gamers never pay money for online games. Once players got involved in the game, they purchased outfits and other cosmetic items from the in-game store. Small purchases from millions of players created a new income stream for game companies. It gave developers a better idea of what Indian players wanted and what they were willing to pay for.
The biggest change, however, was on YouTube and other streaming platforms. Game streaming wasn’t popular in India before the PUBG era. Once the wave began, new gaming creators came into existence who streamed every match they played. Some creators built subscriber bases of millions around their PUBG content. Names such as Mortal, Scout and Dynamo became well known among Indian gaming fans.
For these creators, gaming slowly turned into a job. Money came from ads, brand deals, live streams, events and gaming partnerships. The change also helped other people find work. Video editors, tournament organizers, commentators, and social media managers became part of the growing gaming space.
The story did not end with the PUBG Mobile ban in India in 2020. Krafton later launched Battlegrounds Mobile India, or BGMI, in the country. The game reached 100 million registered users within about a year of its launch. Krafton also increased its focus on esports and local gaming events.
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PUBG’s impact was also felt outside the player community. Game companies and investors started looking at India with greater interest. Krafton said it invested more than USD 100 million in India within about one and a half years. Its investments included Indian gaming companies such as Nautilus Mobile and Leela Games.
This was part of a wider growth. Surveys reported that Indian gaming startups received around USD 350 million in investment between 2014 and 2020. Notably, PUBG didn't drive this growth alone, several other factors worked positively. For example, it was a time when smartphones started becoming smarter, and internet costs were reduced. These two factors significantly contributed to the growth of the Indian gaming community.
Still, PUBG showed just how large the Indian audience could become when a game was easy to access and fun to play with friends. The numbers kept moving up. Surveys estimated that India had 507 million gamers in FY2021-22, and around 24% of them were paying users. Interestingly, the country was recorded as having 15 billion game downloads during the year, which made India one of the world’s largest gaming markets.
The change was also visible in people's attitude towards gaming as a career. For years, many young players explained why they wanted to make gaming their profession. Today, gaming creators and esports players can build careers around their skills and audiences. This is one of PUBG's biggest effects on India. It helped make gaming visible outside the gaming community.
The industry continues to grow since then. A 2026 report cited by The Times of India estimates that India now has around 600 million gamers and more than 2,000 gaming companies. The sector also consists of over 1.3 lakh professionals working across game development, publishing, esports, content creation and other areas.
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PUBG Mobile's biggest contribution can’t be measured by numbers. The real impact of the game lies in changing the way people perceive gaming in India. It connected gamers, contributed to the rise of streaming services, and increased the popularity of esports. It gave millions of Indians their first taste of competitive mobile gaming. It also showed companies that India was ready for bigger and more social games.
India's gaming industry moved well beyond PUBG today. Still, PUBG remains an important part of the story. It helped turn gaming from something many people played in their free time into a growing industry with players, viewers, creators, and jobs. PUBG didn't build India's gaming industry single-handedly; it showed how big that industry could become.
How did PUBG Mobile change gaming in India?
Ans: PUBG Mobile helped make gaming a mainstream activity. It brought more people into online gaming and helped grow esports, live streaming and gaming content.
Did PUBG Mobile help Indian gaming creators?
Ans: Yes. Many creators built large audiences by streaming PUBG matches and making gaming videos. It also opened new income options through ads, sponsors and live streams.
How did PUBG help esports in India?
Ans: PUBG gave Indian players a popular competitive game and helped tournaments attract players, viewers and sponsors. It also created opportunities for teams, organisers, commentators and coaches.
What happened to PUBG Mobile in India?
Ans: PUBG Mobile was banned in India in 2020. Krafton later launched Battlegrounds Mobile India, or BGMI, which brought much of the game's Indian audience back to the platform.
Is PUBG still important to India's gaming industry?
Ans: Yes. PUBG helped create a large gaming audience and pushed esports, streaming and gaming careers into the spotlight. Its influence can still be seen in India's gaming market today.