PUBG Mobile scraps “Hand of the Almighty” item and issues public apology as Muslim players voice discontent

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Story Highlights

  • PUBG Mobile removes “Hand of the Almighty” card item after backlash.
  • Muslim players called the item name disrespectful to Islamic beliefs.
  • Similar religious controversy had also happened during PUBG’s Jungle mode a few years ago.

PUBG Mobile has apologized and taken out a new item from the game after some Muslim players expressed concerns. The item, called “Hand of the Almighty,” was added with the game’s latest update, version 4.4, and caused controversy within the community.

Following online criticism, PUBG Mobile issued an apology, expressing deep regret for the distress caused by a recent in-game item. They confirmed the item has been immediately removed.

PUBG Mobile apologized and promised stricter content review processes

The conversation started primarily with Muslim players who were concerned that the language used was inappropriate from a religious standpoint. They felt that incorporating terms linked to God’s qualities into a game was disrespectful to Islam and the revered characteristics of Allah.

A player explained they weren’t criticizing the game itself, but politely asking Tencent Games and PUBG Mobile to rethink the item’s name. They pointed out that the name is sensitive for Muslims and requested it be changed or removed to show respect for their religious beliefs.

PUBG MOBILE Community Statement #PUBGMOBILE #PUBGMOBILE440

— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) May 12, 2026

Not everyone thought the criticism was fair, though. Some Muslim gamers pointed out that the word “Almighty” is a general English term for “God” and isn’t specifically tied to Islam.

Some people thought taking the item down wasn’t needed and worried that quickly changing things could lead to more arguments over minor details later on. However, PUBG Mobile made the correct decision by completely removing it instead of just changing its name, preventing the situation from getting worse.

This isn’t the first time PUBG Mobile has dealt with concerns about religious sensitivity in the Middle East. In 2020, the game apologized after facing criticism – especially from players in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia – regarding its Mysterious Jungle mode.

Religious sensitivity in global games is always a difficult balance

Religion is a deeply personal topic, and people understandably feel strongly about it. Even if creators don’t mean to cause offense, players will likely react if something in a game feels disrespectful to their beliefs.

Just because something is created with good intentions doesn’t guarantee everyone will interpret it that way. Faith is a very personal matter for many people, so they may have a strong reaction if they believe it’s being misrepresented.

This situation appears to be a classic case of differing interpretations. Some players didn’t see anything wrong with the item’s name, viewing it as typical fantasy language, while others found it genuinely upsetting. Given the game’s large player base, it was inevitable that both reactions would occur.

Developers can’t please everyone, and when a problem gets really serious, companies often choose to remove the offending content instead of letting it escalate. PUBG Mobile followed this pattern, opting to quickly apologize and move past the controversy.

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2026-05-12 11:41