In Indonesia, a ban on several online games will be considered. PUBG is under threat
President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto has instructed the cabinet to consider blocking certain online games in the country. This was reported by State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi during an interview with journalists.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Hadi cited PUBG as an example of one of the games that may face access restrictions in Indonesia. He did not specify which version of PUBG (PUBG Mobile or PUBG: Battlegrounds) was under consideration.
“We are considering restrictions because these games feature many different types of weapons. They are easy to master. And from a psychological standpoint, it normalizes violence,” Hadi explained.
The suggestion to impose a ban came after an explosion at a school mosque in Jakarta, which, according to the latest reports, injured 96 people. It is suspected that one of the students might have committed the crime.
Authorities worldwide frequently discuss enhancing control over video games following similar mass tragedies. For instance, in January 2025, the Chairman of the State Duma of Russia, Vyacheslav Volodin, declared a connection between games and school attacks. He believes children need protection from “destructive content,” not by banning games, but by regulating the gaming market as a whole.