Free Fire was once among the leading mobile games in India. The game, with its low system requirements, and quick BR matches, found a huge and loyal player base in the most populous country of the world. With it, Garena launched a grand esports scene as well with regular tournaments to keep fans engaged.
The entire ecosystem came crashing down, though, when Free Fire was banned by the Indian government for alleged data privacy concerns in February 2022. Since then, Garena has operated its other version of the game, Free Fire MAX in silence. The MAX version was never restricted in the country. Now, however, it seems that Free Fire esports in India could be getting revived.
There are various clues which point to this, including Garena recently signing an MOU with a major Indian state, another MOU with a data center company, undisclosed slots in the Free Fire World Series (FFWS), and a recent tournament in the country.
Here’s everything you need to know about a potential Free Fire comeback to India.
Garena signs MOU with India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh
On July 28, the sports ministry of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, announced that it had signed an MOU with Garena. The goal of this “strategic partnership” was to position the North Indian state on the “frontlines of esports.”
While the UP Govt. didn’t explicitly mention Free Fire in the tweet announcing the partnership, it likely extends towards the mobile battle royale title, which is the marquee mobile game for Garena globally.
That’s not all. The UP Govt. also mentioned that as a part of the partnership, Garena will be using Yotta’s local data center infrastructure. Yotta is a data center service provider, owned by the Hiranandani group.
Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of the group, explained in a tweet what the partnership meant. Yotta will now serve as the data storage, processing, and infrastructure partner for the “esports roadmap of SEA Group.” The SEA Group is the parent company of Garena.
The partnership with a data center could be vital for Garena’s plans for Free Fire in the country. The main reason behind the game’s ban was because of data privacy concerns. Partnering with a local company in line with an Indian state government would reassure that the users’ data is being stored safely.
What does it mean for the future of Free Fire esports?
Free Fire MAX recently organized its first tournament in India since the ban. The Free Fire State Wars was an inter-state tournament for players across the country. It also offered the chance to earn exciting rewards. It was played in Free Fire MAX.
The recent development regarding the MOU with the UP Govt. and Yotta brings speculation about whether Free Fire could return to the country, Alternatively, Garena could continue with Free Fire MAX as the game of choice. A return can’t be ruled out as BGMI, a game banned for similar reasons, was able to get unbanned. This came after reassuring the government of abiding by the data privacy rules.
Additionally, Garena recently announced the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) 2023, taking place in Bangkok again. So far, only 16 of the 18 slots in the tournament were announced. With two slots set to be announced later, it could mean that they will be going to India.
India’s inclusion in the FFWS will be a huge boost for Free Fire esports. Before the ban, the country provided huge viewership towards the game. The Free Fire India Championship (FFIC) 2021 Fall, for example, achieved a peak viewership of a little over 1 million, per Esports Charts.
Also Read: FFWS 2023 returns to Bangkok to crown Free Fire world champions
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