Free Fire returns to India as Garena launches localized version four years after ban
Free Fire India was originally set to launch in September 2023, but Garena postponed its release.
Four years after India banned the battle royale mobile game Free Fire due to national security concerns, gaming company Garena has reintroduced a localized version of the popular title. Launched on Wednesday, Free Fire India is now available as a standalone game on Android and iOS platforms. The new version incorporates India-specific features such as parental controls, playtime limits, and spending caps, with user data stored on servers within the country, according to Sea, the parent company of Garena.
The delayed launch came more than three years after Garena initially postponed the release in September 2023.
Free Fire was once immensely popular in India before it was banned alongside 53 other apps in February 2022, amid allegations of China links. The game's popularity surged after India banned rival PUBG Mobile in September 2020. Despite the ban, Garena's Free Fire MAX version continued to operate in India, while PUBG Mobile's Indian competitor, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), failed to match Free Fire's popularity.
As of June, Free Fire boasted around 77.4 million monthly active users in India compared to BGMI's 20.8 million, as reported by Sensor Tower data.
Vaibhav Das Mundhra, Garena's head of operations in India, stated that Free Fire MAX would continue to function alongside Free Fire India, allowing users to access the same account on both games and participate in shared events. While Garena collaborated with Indian government authorities to prepare Free Fire India for its launch, the company did not disclose the reasons behind the original 2023 delay or the factors that enabled the current release.
Following the relaunch, Indian esports teams like S8UL Esports, Apex Gaming, and Total Gaming remain active in Free Fire India's esports scene, competing in events such as the Esports World Cup 2026. According to Animesh Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of S8UL Esports, the return of Free Fire India signifies more opportunities for players, creators, and the broader esports ecosystem.
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