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PUBG faces ban in China because it 'harms mental health'

The hottest video game in the world may lose out on the most populated country in the world.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Roger Cheng
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You likely won't be playing this in China.

 Bluehole Studio

Here's one place PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds likely won't be played: China. 

The multi-player online gaming sensation, which grew in popularity through its simple premise of dropping players onto an island to kill each other off "Battle Royale"-style, likely won't get a publishing license in the country, according to China's Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association (site is in Chinese). 

PlayerUnknown, also known as PUBG, is "a serious deviation from our socialist core values and the traditional Chinese culture and ethical norms," the agency said, adding that it is "not conducive to the physical and mental health of young consumers." The agency highlighted the gladiator-like nature of the competition and voiced its concern over the blood and violence. 

China has been known to ban content including popular films like "Star Wars" and "The Dark Knight."

"We respect the decisions of all review boards, and we look forward to working with them to bring PUBG to as many fans as possible around the world,"Chang Han Kim, CEO of PUBG, said in a statement.

Updated at 7 p.m. PT with PUBG statement.