After more than four years of being banned, the popular mobile battle royale game ‘Free Fire’ has made its return to the Indian market. Gaming company Garena launched ‘Free Fire India’ specifically designed for Indian players on October 28, 2026.
The game is available on both Android and iOS platforms. The new version includes features tailored to Indian conditions, data security, playtime limits, and spending controls. The Singapore-based Sea Group’s company Garena has made several significant changes to the game for its return to the Indian market.
According to the company, the data of Indian players will be stored on servers located within the country. Additionally, parental controls, playtime limits, and maximum spending limits within the game have been made available for parents. In fact, the Indian government banned 54 mobile applications, including Free Fire, in February 2022 due to national security concerns and alleged ties to China.
Prior to this, the popularity of Free Fire had surged significantly after the ban on PUBG Mobile in September 2020. The ban on Free Fire also had an economic impact on its parent company Sea, which saw a decline of over $16 billion in market value in a single day. However, the advanced version of Free Fire, ‘Free Fire MAX’, was not included in the banned applications list and remained available for Indian players.
Garena had announced the launch of Free Fire India in September 2023, but that proposed launch was abruptly postponed. Now, more than three years later, the company has released the Indian version in the market. Vaibhav Das Mundhra, the head of operations for Garena in India, stated that during the preparations for the launch of Free Fire India, the company worked with relevant Indian government officials and incorporated their suggestions into the game.
However, he did not clarify why the launch in 2023 was postponed and what changes have made its return possible now. Despite the arrival of the new game, ‘Free Fire MAX’ will remain available in the Indian market. According to the company, players will be able to use the same account in both games.
Furthermore, players from both versions will be able to play together and participate in the same events. The popularity of Free Fire in the Indian mobile gaming market can be gauged from its user base. According to data from Sensor Tower reviewed by TechCrunch, there were approximately 77.4 million monthly active users of the Free Fire franchise in India in June 2026.
In comparison, the monthly active users of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) were around 20.8 million. BGMI was introduced by the South Korean company Krafton as an Indian alternative to PUBG Mobile. However, in terms of user numbers, the Free Fire franchise maintained a strong position.
Even during the ban on Free Fire, Garena continued its game development activities in India. The company developed games inspired by Hindu mythology, cricket, and the traditional game Ludo through its studios in Pune and Mumbai. Some of these games were also released in the Indian market.
The mobile gaming sector in India is continuously expanding. According to Sensor Tower, the number of mobile game downloads in the country increased by 14.2 percent to reach two billion in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter. During the same period, gaming revenue increased by 3.7 percent to over $106 million.
The return of Free Fire India is expected to create new opportunities in the country’s e-sports sector as well. Indian teams are already active in international competitions through Free Fire MAX. In the 2026 e-sports World Cup, Indian teams such as S8UL Esports, Apex Gaming, and Total Gaming participated.
Animesh Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of S8UL Esports, emphasized that the return of Free Fire India is significant for players and content creators. According to him, the impact of this game’s return will not be limited to entertainment but could also increase opportunities for players wishing to build careers in e-sports and for creators connected to the gaming community.
Thus, after more than four years, the return of Free Fire to the Indian market comes at a time when mobile gaming and e-sports activities are expanding in the country. Garena has this time focused on a separate version for Indian users, local data storage, and features related to responsible gaming.
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