As PUBG MOBILE remains banned in India for more than a month now, organizations in the country are still looking to participate in the competitive season via players from neighboring countries. Indian organizations who had qualified for PUBG MOBILE Pro League South Asia Season 2 were informed that they would not be a part of the esports ecosystem this season due to uncertainty regarding the game’s status in the country. 

Pro League South Asia is a part of the many regional leagues taking place across the world, which will eventually roll up to the PUBG MOBILE Global Championship, the flagship esports event for the title. While India was supposed to be a part of the South Asia division, it will now proceed with teams from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. An official list of participating teams is yet to be finalized. 

To be a part of the event and the global circuit, Indian organizations are looking to pick up lineups consisting of players in these countries. As many as three Indian organizations have confirmed their participation in the event. Stalwart Esports has officially announced its decision to pick up a Pakistani lineup called FreeStyle to represent them in the Pro League. FreeStyle was part of the World League last season. FutureStation Esports has also announced its acquisition of a Bangladeshi lineup and will also be a part of the competition. Another Indian organization, Element Esports, is also picking up a Nepali roster to represent it in the competition. 

Organizations that were a part of the Pro League originally are reported to have been given options to retain their spots should they find eligible rosters. This includes Stalwart, FutureStation, and Element Esports, who had either qualified or been invited directly. It’s likely that the teams have let their existing rosters go to allocate funds for the new players. 

With the Indian PUBG MOBILE ecosystem in jeopardy, Indian organizations have had to take measures to prepare themselves for the future. Many local organizations have already announced rosters and acquisitions in titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Garena Free Fire. Others are still holding on to their rosters in the hope that the game will be unbanned in the near future. And some, like Megastars, have chosen to let their roster go, citing the ban as the primary reason. 

There is uncertainty about the future of the game in the country as new information and updates continue to emerge every day. Companies such as Reliance and Airtel have been linked to being in negotiations with PUBG Corp. as the regional partners to help distribute the title in the country. However, there has been little communication from the authorities regarding the status of the ban. 

Shounak Sengupta is a staff writer for AFK Gaming.

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