An explosion in Indonesia has left nearly 100 people injured. While reports suggest the 17-year-old suspect was a victim of persistent bullying, the local government has pointed to video games as the cause. They are currently reviewing potential regulations, claiming that games make it easy to learn about weaponry and normalize violence.

The incident occurred on November 7 during a Friday prayer service at a high school in Jakarta. The 17-year-old detonated a homemade explosive, resulting in 96 injuries. Investigators discovered the device alongside a handgun and a toy machine gun. The toy weapon was adorned with white supremacist symbols and the names of neo-Nazis convicted in Canada and Italy.

Prasetyo Hadi, the Indonesian State Secretary, told local reporters on the 9th that the government is weighing regulations on the negative influence of online games. He explained that President Prabowo Subianto, after being briefed on the police investigation, ordered a review of game-related policies. 'Take PUBG, for instance,' Hadi claimed. 'It features a vast array of weapons that are simple to learn, making it far more dangerous. Psychologically, this turns violence into an everyday occurrence.'

However, local police believe the suspect was a bullied student who likely acted out of revenge. Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri noted that the extremist symbols found on the toy gun were likely picked up from social media, with no evidence of actual ties to such groups. Ridlwan Habib, a terrorism analyst at the University of Indonesia, echoed this sentiment, suggesting the suspect was likely mimicking extremist behaviors found online after being repeatedly victimized.

While the police are still investigating the truth, the government—led by the President—is considering regulations on online games. It is common for games to be blamed for violent incidents, but in Indonesia, the timing is notable. The nation has been reeling from anti-government protests led by Gen Z since August, sparked by public outrage over legislative privileges dubbed the 'Emperor's Allowance'.

Some observers have suggested that explicitly targeting PUBG, a popular imported title in Indonesia, is a diversionary tactic to shift public scrutiny away from the government.

To date, neither Krafton nor Tencent, which services the mobile version of PUBG, have released an official statement regarding the incident.