Free Fire returns to India as a localised version, four years after the ban

Garena launched Free Fire India on Wednesday, 28 October, bringing the battle royale game back to Indian phones more than four years after the government banned the original over national security concerns. The localised version is a standalone app on Android and iOS, and it is free to download.

The company, which is owned by Singapore-based Sea, says the new version carries content made for India, along with parental controls, limits on playing time and caps on spending. Data on players is stored on servers in India. In-app purchases remain, including diamonds used to buy characters and items.

Rules for young players

Business Standard reported, citing the game's official FAQ, that anyone under 18 must sign up with a parent's or guardian's mobile number, which is checked with a one-time password. The game also shows regular break reminders. Google Play lists it as 16+, and Apple's App Store as 17+. A Diwali campaign with in-game events runs until 15 November.

Why it was gone

India blocked Free Fire in February 2022 as one of 54 apps, citing alleged links to China. A higher-resolution edition, Free Fire MAX, was not on that list and stayed on the stores. Garena announced a Free Fire India version in September 2023 but then quietly postponed that release.

Garena's head of operations in India, Vaibhav Das Mundhra, told TechCrunch the company had consulted the relevant Indian authorities and folded their feedback into the game. He did not explain the earlier delay, or what had changed to clear the way now.

What it means for players

Mundhra said Free Fire MAX will continue alongside Free Fire India. Players can use the same account on both, play together and join the same events.

Garena has said it plans to work with partners to support esports at grassroots, college and international levels. S8UL Esports, Apex Gaming and Total Gaming were among the Indian teams that played Free Fire MAX at this year's Esports World Cup. Animesh Agarwal, who co-founded S8UL Esports and runs it as chief executive, told TechCrunch the relaunch should widen the openings available to players and creators. "For me, the real impact goes beyond the game itself," he said, pointing to players who want esports careers and to the communities creators have built around the title.

A large market

Data from the research firm Sensor Tower, reviewed by TechCrunch, put the Free Fire franchise at around 77.4 million monthly players in India in June, against 20.8 million for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), the India-specific game from South Korea's Krafton. The same data showed mobile game downloads in India rising 14.2 per cent from the previous quarter to 2 billion in the second quarter, while revenue grew 3.7 per cent to more than $106 million.

While Free Fire India stayed on hold, Garena kept developing games for the Indian market through studios in Pune and Mumbai, including titles inspired by Hindu mythology, cricket and Ludo, TechCrunch reported.