PUBG Mobile's roaring success is setting a precedent to all online games, but the popular battle royale game is also the centre of bad press as people have linked the game to gaming addiction, mental health problems and low grades in examinations. PUBG Mobile has sparked a debate in India, where a lot of people, including an 11-year-old boy from Maharashtra, are seeking a ban on the game.
Should PUBG Mobile really be banned - is the question most people are asking that is also worrying millions of players. But a group of four information systems professions at the Brigham Young University thinks playing PUBG Mobile or any other collaborative video games isn't all bad.
The study is, in fact, urging people to play collaborative video games to boost productivity at work. The professors note that playing collaborative, team-based video games with colleagues can increase team bonding, create a positive work environment and help build team spirit. But above all, the study pointed out that productivity at work could go up by a whopping 20 percent just by playing video games for 45 minutes.
"To see that big of a jump—especially for the amount of time they played—was a little shocking. Companies are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on team-building activities, and I'm thinking, go buy an Xbox," Greg Anderson, the co-author and BYU associate professor, was quoted as saying.
The study was conducted with 352 participants, who had the option to choose between Rock Band or Halo 4 games. But the findings of the study could be effective for any team-collaborative video games, such as PUBG Mobile and Fortnite.
It's also worth pointing out that the study findings were not without limitations. The professors did not investigate the effects of commercial video games on work-team performance or how extended sessions of gaming could impact work or health. While research in those areas is warranted, it's always better to strike a balance between virtual and real world.
PUBG Mobile ban in India
PUBG Mobile has been getting a lot of criticism due to addiction fears. Recently, Jammu & Kashmir Students body and medical doctors association urged the governor to enforce a ban on the popular game and Gujarat became the first state to ban the game across all primary schools.
PUBG Mobile has also been banned in a few academic institutions, including Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT).
In an alarming revelation over the game's adverse effect on people's health, the Services for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic in National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) revealed it had received 120 cases of PUBG addiction in 2018.