Indonesia mulls PUBG restrictions after Jakarta school explosion
- ByStartupStory | November 11, 2025
Indonesia is considering restrictions or a potential ban on popular violent video games such as PUBG following a recent explosion at a school mosque in North Jakarta that injured close to 100 people. The blast occurred on November 7, 2025, during Friday prayers at State Senior High School 72, injuring students and teachers.
The Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has directed his cabinet to investigate possible measures after police identified a student allegedly involved in the incident. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi explained the rationale for contemplating restrictions on games like PUBG, citing concerns that such games normalize violence by featuring easy-to-learn weaponry and potentially desensitize youth to violent behavior.
PUBG, developed by South Korea’s Krafton Inc. with a popular mobile version made in collaboration with Tencent, is one of Indonesia’s most played games. The government has not specified the exact form of restrictions but expressed intent to find solutions to negative effects related to online gaming on youth mental health and behavior.
Authorities have found explosive materials and writings linked to the suspect, who was reportedly bullied and possibly motivated by revenge. Despite ongoing investigations, no conclusive link has been established between the game and the attack, but the incident has raised broader societal concerns around the influence of violent video games.
Officials urge greater awareness among teachers and parents to identify signs of distress among students and are exploring balanced regulatory approaches to mitigate violent content in gaming while considering potential impacts on Indonesia’s large gaming community.
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