PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG)

About

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a multiplayer online battle royal video game created by developer Bluehole for Microsoft Windows with planned releases for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 systems in the future. To win, players must eliminate all competitors across a deserted island using weapons, equipment and other items discovered throughout the match.

History

In March 2017, PUBG was released on Steam Early Access,^[2] where it sold upwards of four million copies for Microsoft Windows systems over the next several months. On March 9th, an official trailer for the game was uploaded to the PC Gamer YouTube channel (shown below).

On May 4th, Bluehole held a Battlegrounds 2017 Charity Invitational during which Twitch streamers competed with one another to raise upwards of $220,000 for the charity Gamers Outreach, which "provides equipment, technology, and software to help kids cope with treatment inside hospitals."^[4]

Online Presence

On July 26th, 2016, the /r/Pubattlegrounds^[1] subreddit was created for discussions about the game, which received upwards of 162,000 subscribers over the next year. The game is a popular title for various notable Twitch streamers, including PyrionFlax, Sophia White and Ninja.^[3]

On YouTube

On March 22nd, 2017, YouTuber FrankieOnPC posted a video of one of his first matches in the game, gaining more than 3.2 million views and 4,400 comments over the next four months (shown below, left). On May 12th, YouTuber jacksepticeye released a video of himself playing the game (shown below, right). Over the next two months, the video received over 1.3 million views and 4,400 comments.

On June 7th, YouTuber SovietWombie posted a montage of humorous moments in the game (shown below, left). Within one week, the video garnered more than 2.8 million views and 5,900 comments. On June 11th, YouTuber PewDiePie uploaded a video of himself playing the game, which gathered upwards of 4.4 million views and 26,500 comments within 72 hours (shown below, right).

Ransomware

On April 9th, 2018, the Twitter^[5] account for MalwareHunterTeam tweeted the PUBG Ransomware. The ransomware encrypted the infected user's desktop folders and files and required them to play one-hour of PUBG to decrypt them (screenshot below) or put in the code "s2acxx56a2sae5fjh5k2gb5s2e."

However, as experts pointed out, you did not need to play a full hour, but rather only three seconds of the game.^[6]

Dance Emotes

Dance Emotes are a series of unlock-able celebratory dances that players can access after completing a series of challenges or through in-game purchases introduced in March 2018.^[7]

On November 22nd, 2018, YouTuber All Are Creative uploaded a video entitled "PUBG All Emotes & Dance Moves From Season 1-4 | PUBG MOBILE" which gained 11,600 views in several months (shown below, left). On February 20th, 2019, YouTuber ShubhGamerz uploaded "PUBG Mobile Chinese SEASON 6 New *EMOTES & DANCES | PUBG Mobile Season 6 DANCE Moves – 4 NEW Emotes!" which gained 7,900 views in a day (shown below, right).

In 2018 PUBG surpassed Fornite in popularity in India and China.^[8] TikTok users in Asia have begun performing PUBG dances in real life and recorded it for TikTok similar to Fortnite Dances popular in the United States (shown below). The most popular TikTok clip was uploaded by @Nikhil lohani and has over 723,000 likes as of February 21st, 2019.

Ban in India

In February 2019, PUBG became the subject of controversy in India, where parents and school officials worried that players' "addiction" to the game had become a point of concern. At this time, a local minister in Gujarat called the game "the demon in every house," blaming the game for bullying, stealing and one teenager's suicide.^[9][10] The game's makers responded to the controversy in a statement:

We appreciate the support and trust given to us by our PUBG MOBILE players. While we strive to deliver the best possible gaming experience to our fans, we also believe that it is extremely important for us to be a responsible member of the gaming ecosystem. To this end, we constantly work and shall continue to work with different stakeholders, including parents, educators and government bodies, and listening to their feedback on what we can do to enhance the overall PUBG MOBILE experience.

To foster a healthy and balanced in-game environment, we are developing numerous new features and enhancements which enables us to provide an environment for players to enjoy PUBG MOBILE in a rewarding and responsible manner. We are honored to have a passionate community of PUBG MOBILE players in India and globally and continue to welcome their feedback to make PUBG MOBILE the best game ever!

Weeks later, in March 2019, the game was banned throughout Gujarat, India's westernmost state. On March 13th, 10 college students were arrested for playing the game as police enforced the ban.^[11] Throughout the month, more Indian cities banned the game. On March 20th, the Hindi newspaper Navbharat Times, in an editorial said that the game was an "epidemic," turning children into "manorogi," or psychopaths. They wrote, "There are dangerous consequences to this game. Many children have lost their mental balance."^[12]

On March 25th, Bloomberg's TicToc Twitter account posted a video about the banning (shown below).

Search Interest

External References