PUBG Changed To Appease Chinese Government, To Suit ‘Socialist Core Values’

As one of the hottest games in the market right now, it’s hardly surprising that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds would make it to China at some point. However, before this could happen, it seems a few changes to the game will have to be made. Specifically, PUBG will have to incorporate tweaks that would make it more suitable for the “socialist core values” of China.

The negotiations to bring PUBG to one of the largest gaming markets in the world have been in the works for months. In the end, PUBG Corp (formerly Bluehole) agreed to make the necessary changes for the Chinese government to give it the green light. This development also comes after the country’s regulatory officials reportedly slammed the game because it reportedly “deviates from socialist core values,” Reuters reports.

Tencent Holdings Ltd, the Chinese gaming giant will be responsible for localizing the game. In a statement by PUBG Corp CEO C.H. Kim, the Chinese company will apparently tweak the title to be more palatable to the local players.

“We will do our best to present a great game to the Chinese users in close cooperation with the company,” Kim said in a statement. “Tencent will localize and operate the game by catering to the preferences of Chinese gamers. We will also offer a different, fun experience on PC.”

As Polygon points out, however, no specific details as to what these changes are going to be have been released. The term “socialist core values” can be interpreted in several different ways and gaming companies have found various methods of getting around this particular blockade.

In the case of NetEase, a competitor of Tencent, for example, its solution was actually to give in to Chinese propaganda. Its free mobile games called “Terminator 2” and “Wilderness” are two of the most popular mobile titles in China, and they heavily feature red banners and Chinese government slogans.