PUBG Mobile has been unbanned in Bangladesh after almost four years

• PUBG Mobile has been unbanned in Bangladesh
• The reinstatement comes after nearly four years
• The ban was taken so seriously players were arrested for hosting a LAN party

There was a time when banning top mobile releases seemed unthinkable. Of course, now we know better considering the fate of those such as Marvel Snap. But even before then, over in Bangladesh top battle royale shooters PUBG Mobile and Free Fire also saw themselves yanked from storefronts over accusations that the app was destructive to mental health of younger players.

But in a surprising turnaround, PUBG Mobile has reportedly seen its Bangladeshi ban reversed. It’s interesting not just for the fact that this will finally allow fans to enjoy the battle royale without fear of legal consequences, but also because of how initially seriously this ban was taken by authorities.

As recently as 2022, PUBG Mobile made headlines when authorities raided a PUBG Mobile LAN tournament taking place at a community center in the Chuadanga district of Bangladesh. Unsurprisingly this wasn’t at all taken well by the competitive gaming community in the country, or those concerned about civil liberties in the country.

Victory for gaming and freedom?

Now it’s hard not to see PUBG Mobile being unbanned as laudable but, simulataneously, not altogether significant in the grand scheme of things. After all, players have moved on since then. But at the same time it’s also a reminder that even in the world of mobile gaming many of us still can’t escape the rather paternalist nature of authorities in controlling players.

You only need to look as far as how the TikTok ban had a knock-on effect, or PUBG Mobile’s Indian operations being caught up a wider maelstrom to see how mobile gaming isn’t immune to the wider world of politics.

Fortunately for most of us, however, these restrictions aren’t a fact of life. So if you want to celebrate your freedom to play what you want, when you want, why not go ahead and dig into our latest list of the top five new mobile games to try this week?