Credit: Twitter
Garena, the Singapore-based gaming developer, has returned to India with their Free Fire India naming MS Dhoni, the former Indian cricket team captain, as their new brand ambassador. They have also partnered with some of the biggest sports personalities in India, including the likes of Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri, badminton star Saina Nehwal, tennis legend Leander Paes, and kabaddi superstar Rahul Chaudhari.
The specially designed Free Fire India has content and features for the Indian players upon its triumphant return to the country after it was banned by the Government of India on February 14, 2022, as part of a crackdown on China-based apps. The relaunch is expected to provide safe and secure gameplay as per Indian regulations, with measures like a verification system for parental controls and a reminder to “take a break”, among others.
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The redressal of data security concerns was paramount for Garena before bringing back the battle royale game to India, for which they collaborated with Yotta, a company of the Hiranandani Group. These two companies also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, earlier in the year, to grow eSports in India.
The official Instagram account of Free Fire India shared a video to announce the relaunch of the game on September 5, with MS Dhoni as a playable character called “Thala.” They also revealed that the pre-register for the battle royale is now open for gamers on the Google Play Store and the App Store.
Moreover, the High Commissioner of Singapore to India talked about the return of Free Fire India to the country at an event. He was quoted as saying, “Garena’s launch of Free Fire India and commitment to localising and developing the esports ecosystem locally is a testament to the vibrancy of the mobile games and esports space in India, and to India’s potential for global leadership in this area. I look forward to greater partnerships in the digital media, entertainment and esports fields between India and Singapore.”
