PUBG banned in Jordan, Fortnite expected to be banned as well

Add Jordan to the list of countries where PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't welcome. According to Jordanian outlet Roya News, the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission banned PUBG last week, and is currently planning to ban a half-dozen other games, including Fortnite.

The PUBG ban came into effect on Thursday, and over the weekend the TRC released a statement explaining the action came after a wave of complaints from citizens and authorities alike. However, the TRC said one of its main reasons for implementing the ban was a World Health Organization study that classified PUBG as a violent game leading to addiction and social isolation, further stating that children who play violent games are more violent than their peers.

We are not aware of any such study, although a 2014 WHO advisory group report on the public health implications of electronic entertainment briefly expressed concerns about violent games having adverse effects on children. And while WHO's recent gaming disorder classification does indicate that social impairment could be part of a gaming disorder diagnosis, it makes no mention of violent games. Furthermore, to our knowledge, WHO has not classified any specific games as violent.

The TRC explanation of the ban goes on to mention that China, India, Nepal, and Iraq have all banned PUBG. However, the Indian bans were temporary and regional in nature, and Nepal's ban was suspended by the country's Supreme Court.

As for China, PUBG's beta test was shut down by local publisher Tencent after the government refused to approve monetization.

We have reached out to PUBG representatives, and the TRC for comment.

[UPDATE]: When asked about the apparent misrepresentation of the organization's research and findings, a WHO representative responded, "We cannot comment on a sovereign country's decision to ban a game if they decide to do so."