Garena to relaunch Free Fire in India with MS Dhoni as brand ambassador
The game had been banned in India in February 2022 due to national security concerns
Garena, a Singapore-based online game developer and publisher, has announced that it will relaunch the popular Battle Royale game “Free Fire” in India on September 5, almost 19 months after it was banned in February 2022 for national security concerns.
The company is reportedly going to make the game available most likely for both Android and iOS users in India.
Before it was banned, the game was very popular in India, with almost 40 million monthly active users, making it a strong competitor to games like BGMI and PUBG.
The ban in India had resulted in a $16 billion fall in the market capitalisation of Sea, Garena’s parent company.
Dhoni to be brand ambassador
The relaunch of an exclusive Indian version of the game will feature a partnership with Yotta, a Hiranandani-group company, for local cloud hosting and storage infrastructure, and a brand ambassador in MS Dhoni.
The partnership with Yotta, a Managed Data Centre Service Provider, is to manage the cloud and storage requirements of users’ data in India.
“As a MeitY-empanelled service provider, Yotta will ensure best-in-class management of personal data of Indian users on local servers and network connectivity services to support Garena’s product offerings in India, including in esports,” Garena said in a statement.
“Free Fire incorporates unique content and features to encourage a safe, healthy, and fun gameplay experience,” the company said.
To this end, it will urge players to take regular breaks in order to safeguard their health.
Free Fire India will have a verification system to enable parental supervision, gameplay limitations, and “take a break” reminders.
“India is home to very passionate communities of esports enthusiasts and we are excited to be able to support our fans from Bharat with the launch of Free Fire India. We look forward to providing an engaging and highly localised experience for Indian users. We believe our partnership with Yotta will ensure that our users can enjoy the highest quality gameplay experience and benefit from Yotta’s expertise in protecting and securing Indian user data,” Gang Ye, the cofounder of Garena, said.
The company is also launching a Free Fire India Esports Championships, he added.
Indian gaming industry to grow to nearly $9 billion by 2027
The gaming industry in India is expected to grow to nearly $9 billion by 2027, according to some forecasts. In 2022, Indians spent an average of 8.5 hours per week on mobile games.
Gaming industry professionals are of the opinion that Garena should think of investing in Indian firms to improve its future prospects in the country, and some feel that the parent company Sea would enhance its public image by appointing a local CEO for its India business.
There has not been any response from the Ministry of Electronics and IT to Garena’s plans for a relaunch of Free Fire in India.
Singapore’s High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, said he was optimistic about the relaunch of Free Fire in India and about Garena’s dedication to localising and nurturing the esports ecosystem in India.
How to pre-register for Free Fire India
If you want to pre-register, go to Apps in Google Play, browse for Free Fire India, and click on the “pre-register” button. The company will inform you when the game is ready for installation.