Release windows are integral times for games, and PUBG Mobile's launch date generally coincides with various in-game events. Every calendar year for the game is a cause for celebration, and developers ensure to reward players for participation.

PUBG Mobile birthday events offer rewards ranging from cosmetics to other collectibles. When it's time for a PUBG Mobile anniversary, there's usually a plethora of new activities in the game, often causing a positive surge in player numbers.

When did PUBG Mobile come out?

PUBG Mobile's official global release date is March 19, 2018. Prior to its release, PUBG's PC variant had been out for almost a year, meaning the game had already established a sizable following by that point.

When PUBG Mobile first started its lifecycle, millions of players familiar with the game from PC, Xbox, and PlayStation downloaded the mobile version on their phones and tablets. In addition to serving as an additional outlet for the existing player base, a mobile release also attracted new users, allowing PUBG Mobile to achieve 1.3 billion downloads by 2022.

Considering PUBG Mobile is crossplay compatible between Android and iOS, it possesses one of the most active player bases in mobile gaming.

When did PUBG Mobile launch in India?

PUBG Mobile launched in India on July 2, 2021, with a separate title, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI.) The globally available PUBG Mobile was banned in India during 2020 due to security concerns. To comply with the regulations, Krafton released an India-exclusive version of the game, BGMI. This regional version was also an instant hit as PUBG Mobile India was downloaded over 10 million times in three days after its initial release.

However, BGMI also encountered its fair share of controversy. The Indian government banned BGMI on July 28, 2022, only to lift the restrictions on May 26, 2023. The game was once again a center of controversy in the region during 2024, causing fans to wonder whether BGMI would get banned again in India.

At the time of writing, BGMI is available on Android and iOS in India. Still, given the hectic relationship of the game with the local government, it's rather difficult to predict its future availability. Though PUBG developers have been trying their absolute best to comply and avoid bans, anything can happen at this point.

What is the old name of PUBG?

PUBG's old name is PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Since the game's initial release, PUBG stood for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and it later changed its name to PUBG: Battlegrounds in 2021.

The main reason behind the name change was Krafton's visitation to expand the PUBG brand, and take a leap forward,with different titles, and turn it into a proper franchise. PUBG: New State, released in 2021, was the first example of this. However, Krafton changed this game's name to New State Mobile in 2022, so the situation in the PUBG universe is all over the place right now.