The demand for Free Fire unban in India has remained intact since the game was removed from Google Play Store and Apple App Store in February 2022. Even though Free Fire MAX has remained available for Android players, the fans haven’t quit hoping for the Free Fire unban in the country. Moreover, the return of BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) has only given positive indications around Free Fire’s comeback.
Free Fire’s publisher and developer, Garena, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The purpose of the signing was to promote and develop esports in the Indian state. Although the MOU is entirely unrelated to the Free Fire unban, it has strengthened the chances of the game’s return.
Free Fire Unban in India: Return Date and Time (Updated)
Garena has officially announced September 5, 2023, as the Free Fire unban date in India. However, on September 4, the devs confirmed that the re-launch date had been postponed by a few more weeks. As of this writing, Garena has yet to confirm the unban date of the game.
The developers have confirmed that the game will be titled Free Fire India, while the pre-registrations have been commenced on Google Play Store. The game has been published under Garena International III, unlike Free Fire and Free Fire MAX (published by Garena International I).
The announcement trailer for Free Fire India has confirmed that legendary Indian athletes like Sunil Chhetri, Leander Paes, Rahul Chaudhari, and Saina Nehwal will be the brand ambassadors of the game. At the same time, MS Dhoni has been roped in as the face of Free Fire India, and players will get to see a character based on him in the game. Moreover, one can expect Free Fire India to retain all key gameplay features of Free Fire with minor tweaks.
For those unaware, Free Fire got banned in India in February 2022 by the Government of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It was one of the 54 applications (mostly of Chinese origin) considered a threat to the nation’s “privacy and security.” Interestingly, Free Fire MAX remained unbanned and accessible for Android users.
Ever since the ban on Free Fire, Garena has shifted its focus on Free Fire MAX in the Indian market, as the latter has continued to garner the attention of an already-massive user base.
