Of late PUBG Mobile game has been blamed for all recent mishaps, be it unable to score decent marks in the board exams or be it accidental deaths. The reason for which the game has been blamed for is first the popularity of the game, second its engaging gameplay pattern and third accessibility. With the recent launch of PUBG Mobile Lite which is a lighter version of the main PUBG Mobile game, players can access the game with minimum system requirements. As gaming technology for PUBG Mobile is pushed ahead with Lite, it has emanated with a new incident in India that seems to blame PUBG for a Hyderabad teenage second-year bachelors’ student who suffered a stroke. People believe that the quest to win the chicken dinner is taking a serious toll on the health of PUBG players.
The teen was subsequently admitted to the hospital where he has now made a recovery. Apparently the doctor blamed his excessive playing of PUBG as the reason for the stroke of the 19-year-old. The second-year bachelors’ student was rushed to the ICU on the weekend when he complained about not being able to move his right arm and leg. The doctors concluded that the cause of this was a brain stroke. This was due to the development of multiple blood clots (thrombi) in the brain of the Hyderabad teen.
PUBG and PUBG Mobile have been at the center of controversy not just in India but internationally as well. Numerous incidents with the game have portrayed it in poor light. Parents and others in India have even asked for a ban on the game. Despite its growing popularity, the battle-royale game has been banned at a few places. Countries like Nepal, Iraq have banned the game, while parents in UAE continue to demand a ban. The Indian state of Gujarat briefly banned PUBG Mobile last year. But the ban has since been lifted.
While this teenager has now recovered and been discharged from the hospital, he is yet another victim on a long list of people growing mindlessly addicted to the game. In fact, an alarming number of young people are playing competitive killing games, that are leading to symptoms like headaches, vomiting, stiffness, listlessness and irritability. Psychologists even say that taking away these teenagers’ mobile phones to prevent them from playing PUBG has also lead to aggressive withdrawal symptoms, including reports of suicide. However, some studies, including one by Oxford University, found that playing such games can be cathartic and aren’t directly linked to a long-term tendency of anger or violence.
