PUBG Mobile has pulled an in-game item from its latest v4.4 Hero’s Crown update following a wave of backlash from Muslim players who flagged the item’s name as religiously insensitive.
The item in question is the “Hand of the Almighty” item, which drew criticism from sections of the community who felt that using the phrase in a gaming context carried religious connotations that were disrespectful to Muslim players and their beliefs.
The controversy spread quickly, and players expressed their frustration directly at the devs over what they saw as a failure in cultural sensitivity.
Why the “Hand of the Almighty” item was considered offensive
The ‘Hand of the Almighty’ item appeared to be an in-game card tied to the new themed mode. It didn’t have any added benefits, but was just a collectible from the new event. However, it was considered offensive as the item’s name in Arabic is Al-Jabbar (after translation), which is one of the 99 names of Allah from the Quran.
Players argued that naming the item after a phrase commonly associated with Allah in Islamic theology was inappropriate, particularly when the item was being used in a game that focuses on combat. For many Muslim players, seeing religious language casually attached to game items felt dismissive of their faith.
PUBG Mobile apologizes and removes the item immediately
On May 12, 2026, the game’s official X account posted a formal community statement, saying they were “deeply sorry” and acknowledged the community feedback pouring in. The devs confirmed the item had been removed from the game immediately after the concerns were raised.
“We are deeply sorry to our players and appreciate the feedback we got from the community. We respect the values, traditions and practices of our players and regret the hurt and anguish that we’ve caused. We have removed this item immediately from the game,” said the X post.
“At PUBG MOBILE, we value and respect all religions and strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. We will continue to listen to our players as we further review our content and strengthen our content vetting processes to ensure our game is sensitive to different religions, cultures and practices. We thank our fans for bringing this to our attention.”
Not the first time PUBG Mobile has been here
This isn’t the first time PUBG Mobile has had to walk back decisions after Muslim player backlash on multiple occasions before. Back in 2019, the game introduced a birthday crate whose design resembled the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, prompting outrage and boycott campaigns, with players deleting the game and signing petitions demanding an apology.
In 2020, a Mysterious Jungle mode on the Sanhok map featured a mechanic where players bowed before a totem to restore health, which was entirely removed. This was criticized as promoting idol worship, a concept explicitly forbidden in Islam.
