Garena Launches Free Fire India After Four-Year Ban
Garena launched Free Fire India on October 28, featuring localized servers and strict gaming limits to comply with Indian government security and privacy regulations.
The game publisher Garena launched Free Fire India on October 28, 2026, for Android and iOS users. The release marks the return of the battle royale title to the country more than four years after the Indian government banned the original version in February 2022 over national security and data privacy concerns. The original ban caused Garena's parent company, Sea, to lose $16 billion in market value in a single day.
To meet regulatory requirements, Garena developed a localized version that hosts data on servers within India and incorporates feedback from government stakeholders. The game introduces a Play It Right wellness program, which imposes spending caps and daily playtime limits of six hours for adults and three hours for users under 18. Minors must also provide parental consent via OTP verification. Free Fire India will coexist with Free Fire MAX, a higher-spec version that remained available during the ban; players can use a single account across both titles.
To celebrate the launch, Garena is running a Diwali campaign with culturally relevant content through November 15. The company also plans to support the Indian esports ecosystem through grassroots and collegiate competitions. Vaibhav Das Mundhra, Garena's head of operations in India, stated that the company focused on providing an engaging experience tailored for Indian players while encouraging responsible play.
