Iraqis find escape and success on PUBG virtual battleground
17.05.2021
Bashar Abo Khalil's PUBG character dashes around a wall in a pink dress and samurai helmet, thwacking an enemy with a frying pan – standard fare in the mobile game that is a mega-sensation in Iraq.
The online star, known as G2G, is one of many Iraqis hooked on PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds – a battle royale first-person shooter game that's reminiscent of the book and film series "The Hunger Games".
Abo Khalil, 31, said he used to play for hours to "stop thinking about problems".
"When you're playing the game, you can become closed off to the rest of the world. It can be like a drug," he added.