Return of Garena’s Free Fire will invigorate India’s Esports landscape: Experts

In a development that will excite gamers across India, Garena’s hugely popular, Free Fire game, is poised to make a triumphant return to the Indian gaming landscape. With its official re-entry scheduled for September 5, ‘Free Fire India’ is gearing up to once again captivate the nation’s burgeoning video gaming industry. This news arrives on the heels of Free Fire’s extraordinary global success, as indicated by its dominance in download charts and revenue generation.

According to Sensor Tower, a leading analytics platform, Free Fire stood as the unrivaled global champion in terms of downloads in 2021, reigning supreme across both the App Store and Play Store. Impressively, the game accumulated a staggering 218 million downloads on mobile devices during that year, firmly cementing its status as a gaming phenomenon.

Even in the early months of 2022, just prior to its temporary suspension in February of that year, Free Fire continued its meteoric rise. January 2022 witnessed a remarkable 51.6% surge in downloads over the same period in the previous year, with 24 million downloads worldwide. These figures underscore the unwavering popularity and appeal that Free Fire has managed to sustain.

Notably, Free Fire was a formidable contender against Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), a game that had captured the hearts of countless Indian gamers. Despite its brief absence, Free Fire’s impact on the battle royale gaming landscape remains indelible.

In terms of financial success, Free Fire’s prowess shines brightly. The game amassed a colossal revenue of $1.1 billion throughout the entirety of 2021, attesting to its economic significance in the gaming industry.

The Free Fire World Series of 2021 stands as a testament to the game’s cultural impact and global reach. Hosted by Singapore, this tournament not only showcased competitive gaming excellence, but also claimed the title of the most-watched Esports event in history. With a record-breaking peak viewership of 5.41 million, the tournament highlighted Free Fire’s ability to captivate a massive global audience.

Even in the more recent timeline of June 2023, Free Fire continues its triumphant journey. Sensor Tower’s store intelligence data reaffirms the game’s popularity, with nearly 19 million downloads in that month alone. Impressively, India led the charts in downloads, accounting for a substantial 27.9% of the total, followed by Indonesia and Vietnam at 12.7% and 8.1%, respectively.

As the curtains rise on Free Fire’s imminent return to India, the gaming community anticipates a resurgence of the dynamic battles, strategic gameplay, and thrilling experiences that have made Free Fire a household name across the nation and the globe.

Adgully reached out to various experts in the gaming industry to know about their views and excitement on this development.

Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President, Asian Esports Federation (AESF):

“The re-entry of Free Fire brings immense promise for players across the nation, amplifying the competitive spirit and paving the way for recognition and opportunities on a global scale. Marking a pivotal step forward in the growth of competitive gaming, ESFI supports such endeavours which will guide the industry towards unparalleled growth and excellence.

We anticipate a ripple effect that will encourage the inception of more high-profile tournaments and events. This move ignites the momentum needed to realise our collective vision of a vibrant and thriving esports landscape in India. India will now witness the continued growth of Esports prize pools and user base with Free Fire India leveraging it further to invigorate our Esports landscape.

While embracing this wave of progress, it is also crucial that the Indian government exercises vigilance over the aspect of security and data privacy. Safeguarding the interests of players and enthusiasts alike is a collective responsibility that ensures the sustainability and credibility of our Esports journey.”

Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8Bit Creatives (India’s leading esports consulting and talent agency) and Co-Founder, S8UL:

“India has always been a pivotal pillar of Free Fire’s global user base and its return opens the doors to exceptional avenues that will bolster the gaming landscape of the country With the game’s re-launch, there will be a remarkable surge in the frequency of tournaments with lucrative prize pools for players to make a name for themselves.

The impact of the game will not be limited to just the competitive scenario as it will be a significant boost to the creators’ community as well. By providing creators with diverse and immersive content, Free Fire India will enable them to grow and expand their fanbase within the industry. As the game gains renewed attention and engagement, there will also be an influx of interest as well as investments from brands into the ecosystem.

We are excited for this new chapter to unfold and look forward to witnessing the rise of the video gaming sector in India.”

Devam ‘Dev’ Vyas, Vice President, Esports at Gods Reign, a leading Indian esports organisation:

“Free Fire India’s launch is a game-changer, set to transform India’s Esports scene. It heralds more tournaments, increased earnings, and massive prize pools, mirroring Free Fire’s firm grip on India’s user base. Despite no Indian teams at the Free Fire World Series 2022 Grand Finals, the Hindi stream astonishingly recorded peak viewership. As Free Fire restarts in India, we’re excited for viewership to break new records. This is an exhilarating time for our players who stand to reap huge benefits. At Gods Reign, renowned for crafting championship-winning rosters, we’re in talks with several Free Fire rosters. We can’t wait to announce our new roster soon, adding another thrilling chapter to this vibrant esports story of Gods Reign.”

Sagar Nair, Co-founder, and CEO of Qlan, the Gamers' Social Network:

“The launch of Free Fire India (FFI) holds significant implications for both players and the Esports industry. It signifies a renewed opportunity for players in India to engage with the game, with tailored features catering to their preferences. The introduction of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as ‘Thala’ adds a local touch, enhancing the relatability factor for Indian players.

The introduction of Esports competitions, tournaments, and events with higher prize pools is likely to increase, aligning with Garena’s aspiration to develop a robust Esports ecosystem in India, nurturing talent and fostering a competitive spirit. The focus on India is strategic due to various reasons. Despite challenges, India has a substantial mobile gaming audience and by reintroducing Free Fire India with region-specific features and content, Garena aims to rekindle the excitement among Indian gamers and regain its position in the Indian gaming market. Additionally, the partnership with Yotta Infrastructure underscores Garena’s commitment to ensuring a seamless gameplay experience that adheres to local regulations.”

Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, Alpha Zegus (Next-gen marketing agency specialising in the domains of gaming & lifestyle:

“Free Fire India coming back is definitely the biggest headliner for the industry at the moment. FFI players have been awaiting this news for the longest time (in fact even longer than BGMI players when BGMI was banned). While some professional players and creators have switched to different titles, the base for FFI remains one of the biggest in India (pre-ban numbers suggested that FFI had a bigger audience base than any gaming title in India). Even if we are able to recover about 70% of that audience base, the game will take no time to start breaking viewership records and compete head-on with other popular titles. It has been a positive year for esports so far, with games coming back, tournaments getting bigger, more brands taking notice, etc. Fingers crossed to see how FFI adds to this growth.”

Manish Agarwal, Founder, Kratos Studios:

“This development is a significant boon for India’s non-real money gaming ecosystem. The country stands to benefit from a diverse range of games capable of drawing in more than 100 million active players, consequently generating substantial esports viewership.

Presently, apart from games like BGMI and VALORANT, there is a lack of esports-worthy titles that can rival traditional sports in terms of audience engagement and financial potential.”

Chetan ‘Kronten’ Chandgude, Founder, GodLike Esports:

“Free Fire’s return to the Indian gaming landscape is a testament to the power of esports and the unbreakable bond between the game and its players. The game’s popularity has been nothing short of exceptional, both in terms of gameplay and esports viewership. We’re excited to empower the next generation of Indian esports champions and foster a thriving competitive gaming ecosystem.”

Abhishek Aggarwal, Co-founder & CEO, Trinity Gaming India:

“The return of Free Fire will certainly not be restricted to just the competitive scenario as it will be a remarkable boost to the creator community as well. With the intent of providing creators with diverse and immersive content, Free Fire India will empower them to expand their fanbase within the industry.”