PUBG Mobile became incredibly popular in India years ago among casual as well as pro players. However, the game got banned by the Indian government in 2020 alongside 118 apps that had servers in China. Publisher Krafton had somehow banned to bring the game back to India as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), which was rebranded version of PUBG Mobile with some minor tweaks. The game instantly became popular with millions of Indian players, which unfortunately didn’t last long. The Indian government recently banned BGMI over concerns regarding data being shared directly or indirectly with servers in China. It’s unclear whether the game will relaunch in the country, and players may be looking for an alternative to PUBG Mobile or BGMI. Here are some games you can play instead of BGMI or PUBG Mobile:
List of best games like PUBG Mobile/ BGMI
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Free Fire MAX
- Fortnite
- New State Mobile
- Battlelands Royale
- Pixel’s Unknown Battle Ground
- Apex Legends Mobile
- Zombsroyale.io
Call of Duty: Mobile
Probably the biggest competition for PUBG Mobile was Activision’s Call of Duty: Mobile. Having a more detailed level of graphics and styling from the original Call of Duty games, this was an instant hit. Having its own set of game modes, season pass, weapons, and skins, COD: Mobile is a great alternative to PUBG Mobile, especially if you want to experience a faster gameplay with a sense of realism. Notably, it was one of the largest mobile game launches in history as it managed to generate over USD 480 million with 270 million downloads within a year. The game offers battle royale modes featuring up to 100 players where one can choose to play alone, on a two-man team, or in a four-man squad. There are also various limited modes like Sniper Challenge, Battle Royale Alcatraz, Battle Royale Blackout, 20v20 Warfare, and Battle Royale Blitz.
Call of Duty: Mobile review
Call of Duty: Mobile does a great job at adapting the familiar COD experience for mobile. The battle royale mode as well as other multiplayer modes inspired from COD titles are exciting to play and gunplay feels pretty solid. The game has fantastic fast-paced movement that allows for quick and fun gunfights.
Pros
- Fun battle royale mode
- Equipment and Scorestreaks in multiplayer
Cons
- HUD and layout can feel a bit cluttered
Free Fire MAX
Free Fire is another popular battle royale mobile game that has taken inspiration from PUBG. It was notably the most downloaded mobile game globally in 2019 and in August 2021 set a record of having over 150 million daily active users globally. The battle royale match can have up to 50 players where players have the option to play solo, or in a team of two or four players. There is also the Clash Squad which is a 4V4 deathmatch mode with a total of seven rounds out of which a team has to win four rounds. Free Fire was also recently banned in India, but you still have access to Free Fire MAX, which is touted to be a more advanced version offering better graphics giving players a more immersive experience. You can even link your old Free Fire account with the new version while maintaining your progress and items across both games. The developers have also enabled the ability to play all game modes with both Free Fire and Free Fire MAX players together.
Free Fire Max review
Free Fire Max is quite similar to PUBG Mobile when it comes to gunplay and battle royale experience. Similar to BGMI, the game has several modes like TDM and Arenas and gets frequent updates with new content. Unfortunately, Free Fire Max may not run well on low-end smartphones.
Pros
- Hardcore battle royaloe shooter
- Various characters
Cons
- Clunky gunplay
- Doesn’t run well on low-end smartphones
Fortnite
One of the first battle royale games to be popular alongside PUBG, Fortnite is developed by Epic Games and was released in 2017. It has received multiple awards including the best ongoing game at The Game Awards in 2018 and 2019. While there are three versions of the game, Fortnite Battle Royale became highly successful and a cultural phenomenon claiming to have gained 125 million players in less than a year. The graphics are more animated looking rather than the realistic approach on PUBG. The battle royale mode is pretty standard but also includes the addition of breaking and building structures, which is a callback to Minecraft. The game also has a season system and frequently has collaborations and crossovers with big names like Marvel, DC, Rick and Morty, The Walking Dead and many more.
Fortnite review
Fortnite offers a great battle royale experience with its colourful and vibrant map and cosmetics. The game is know for collaborating with popular IPs such as Marvel, DC, Naruto, and more. Besides these, the shooting experience of Fortnite is much better than PUBG Mobile or Free Fire Max.
Pros
- Great gunplay
- Amazing season ending events
Cons
- Not available on iOS without Xbox Cloud Gaming
Download: Android
New State Mobile (PUBG New State)
Originally known as PUBG: New State up until January 2022, New State Mobile is the next generation title under the PUBG universe. Having similar game mechanics including the popular battle royale mode, New State features a futuristic styling when compared with PUBG as well as enhanced graphics and improved lighting. It also includes add-ons like drones, ballistic shields, neon sights, combat balancing ability, reviving dead teammates, and recruiting downed enemies, where anyone on the battleground can join your team. The game also offers secondary 4v4 multiplayer modes, such as team deathmatch and even an updated Erangel map from the original PUBG.
New State Mobile review
Krafton attempts to improve on the experience of BGMI or PUBG Mobile with New State Mobile. The game is set in 2051 and Krafton claims that it has futuristic elements such as drones and electric vehicles. While the game is apparently set in the future, its futurism is nothing more than a gimmick as drones and electric vehicles have been around for several years. When it comes to gunplay, it has remained largely unchanged compared to BGMI.
Pros
- Variation of battle royale mode
Cons
- Feels like BGMI with a futuristic skin
Battlelands Royale
Battlelands Royale is a fast-paced casual alternative to PUBG featuring graphics and design elements similar to Fortnite. It isn’t as intense as some of the above mentioned battle royale games, hence this is great for the younger audience as well. It is also much smaller in terms of the map and has a fixed aerial view unlike the first person or third person perspective. Notably the game has faster load times as there are only 30 players in a match which lasts for a total of 10-minutes. Thus, there are instances where you finish a match in about four to five minutes. Apart from its own battle pass, there are some in-game items that you can buy and like most battle royale games the season pass gives you enough in-game credits to buy the next season pass.
Battlelands Royale review
Battlelands Royale offers a much more casual take on intense battle royale shooters. It’s great for players who just to want to unwind with chill game where they don’t have to think about a tactical strategy.
Pros
- Casual shooter experience
Cons
- May seem boring after a few hours
Download: Android
Pixel’s Unknown Battle Ground
Another clone of PUBG, Pixel’s Unknown Battle Ground features 3D blocky-pixel characters and environment similar to Minecraft, and of course adapts the online battle royale genre. You can carry multiple weapons and throwables in this game, and it also features in-game chat, auto shooting, and low graphics settings for low-end devices. The gameplay is pretty much the same as other shooter battle royale games, you drop onto a location, find guns and other equipment, kill the other players, and survive till the end. The game also features a Team battle mode and a Zombie mode. It isn’t as detailed or immersive as PUBG, but it is definitely a fun game to try.
Pixel’s Unknown Battle Ground review
Pixel’s Unknow Battle Ground seems just like other mobile battle royale shooters out with a different art style. However, the game isn’t as engaging as the likes of BGMI, Free Fire Max, COD Mobile, and Apex Legends Mobile.
Pros
- Great for low-end devices
Cons
- Not a lot of content to play
Apex Legends Mobile
Respawn recently launched Apex Legends Mobile on Android and iOS and it quickly became incredibly popular. The game brings several characters from PC and console versions as well as adds a new mobile-exclusive Legend called Fade. The shooting experience seems pretty much the same as the PC and console versions, with fast-paced movement and various types of weapons. The game has battle royale, TDM, and Arena modes, all of which feel really fun to play.
Apex Legends Mobile review
Apex Legends Mobile offers one of the best battle royale shooter experience for mobile. The Legends that come with unique abilities truly mix up the traditional shooter experience with tactical advantages. Apex Legends Mobile will also get more mobile-exclusive maps, modes, and Legends soon.
Pros
- Fun shooter experience
- Great characters and abilities
Cons
- Poor controller support
Zombsroyale.io
Zombsroyale.io delivers a casual approach towards the battle royale genre. It is a 2D 100-player battle royale game where you can play solo, duos, or in a squad of four players. As suggested by the name, the biggest twist in Zombsroyale is the presence of zombies on the map that will try to attack you. So, you need to deal with opponents as well as zombies to be the last surviving team in Zombsroyale.
Zombsroyale.io review
Zombsroyale.io is great for players who are looking for a casual battle royale experience. It does not have high-end graphics or a lot of cosmetics. Although the gameplay experience seems a bit limited, it is quite enjoyable to play with friends. Zombsroyale has several multiplayer modes including 50v50, Weapons Race, Crystal Clash, and more.
Pros
- Casual gameplay experience
- Combat with zombies
Cons
- Limited availability of cosmetics
