Wait,和平 Was PUBG Mobile Really Released in 2018? Let’s Settle This

Okay, so I was arguing with my cousin last night about when PUBG Mobileactually dropped. He swore it was 2017. I *knew* it was 2018, but then I started second-guessing myself—maybe I’d mixed it up with the Chinese version, Peace Elite(HéPíng JīngYīng)? Ugh. Time to deep-dive.

The Birth of a Battle Royale Giant

First things first: PUBG Mobile(the global version) didlaunch in March 2018. I pulled up the official press release from Tencent like a detective—because nothing says "fun Friday night" like fact-checking video game release dates. But here’s where it gets messy.

• PUBG Mobile (Global): March 19, 2018 (iOS/Android)
• Game for Peace (China): May 8, 2019 (replaced PUBG Mobile there)

Yeah, China’s version came later because of… well, regulations. More on that in a sec.

Why Everyone Gets Confused

People mix up dates because:

• The original PUBGPC game blew up in 2017—so mobile feels older than it is.
• Beta tests happened before 2018 (thanks, Gamespotarchives).
• China’s rebrand to Game for Peacemessed with timelines.

The China Twist: From Blood to Green

So China banned the original PUBG Mobilefor being "too violent" (blood, death animations, etc.). Tencent’s fix? Peace Elite—same gameplay, but with:

• No blood (just green "sparks" when you hit someone—classy).
• Downed enemies wave goodbye before vanishing. *cringe*
• More "patriotic" themes (because nothing says harmony like a battle royale).

Fun fact: The Chinese name HéPíng JīngYīngtranslates to "Peace Elite," but globally, it’s still called PUBG Mobilein most places. Marketing, amirite?

Why This Matters for Players

If you’re grinding ranked matches today, here’s the takeaway:

• Global players: Your game’s anniversary is March. Celebrate accordingly.
• Chinese players: May is your month—unless you VPN’d to play pre-2019.
• Everyone else: Stop arguing. It’s 2018. I checked.

Also, skins and events sometimes differ between versions. That "Year One" backpack you love? Might not exist in China.

Behind the Scenes: Tencent’s Timeline Tangle

Tencent was working on mobile ports waybefore 2018. Early prototypes floated around in 2016 (per Reuters), but regulatory hurdles delayed things. By the time they launched, Fortnite was already gobbling up the market. Hence the aggressive updates—new maps every six months, collabs with Godzilla, etc.

Random thought: Remember when Vikendi (the snow map) dropped in December 2018? That was *chef’s kiss*—proved they could compete with Epic’s seasonal updates.

The Data Doesn’t Lie

For the nerds (like me), here’s the download growth from Sensor Towerreports:

See that spike in 2019? That’s China joining the party.

Final Boss: The "18 vs. 19" Debate

My cousin’s last gasp: "But the APK leaked in 2017!" Sure, betas existed. But official global release? March. Freaking. 2018. I’m dying on this hill.

Anyway, next time someone asks, just hit ‘em with this:

• PUBG Mobile = 2018 (global).
• Peace Elite = 2019 (China).
• Your memory = probably wrong (no offense).

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go yell at my cousin over Discord. Again.