Garena launched Free Fire India on October 28, 2026, bringing the battle royale game back to India more than four years after the original was banned, with a standalone edition built specifically for Indian players.
Source: Gizbot — Free Fire India launch October 28
The game is free to download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, Garena confirmed. Players should look for the India edition itself, rather than assuming the original Free Fire or Free Fire MAX is the same app.
Source: Gizbot — Free Fire India launch October 28
The original game was banned in India in February 2022, along with dozens of other apps, amid concerns involving apps with Chinese links, Gizbot reported. At the time, the game reportedly had more than 40 million players in India, while the separate Free Fire MAX app continued to be available.
Source: Gizbot — 2022 ban and 40 million users
Garena first announced a dedicated India edition in August 2023, with former India cricket captain MS Dhoni as brand ambassador, and had planned a launch for September 5 that year. That launch was postponed days before the date, and no fresh date followed until this week.
Source: Gizbot — 2023 announcement and postponement
The India edition carries India-focused events and campaigns, opening with a Diwali-themed campaign that runs until November 15. Garena says it has also optimised the game for a wider range of smartphones, so players without high-end devices can run it.
Source: Gizbot — Diwali campaign until November 15
On player safety, Garena says players under 18 will need parental consent, and the game will include reminders to take breaks, playtime limits and spending caps. The company also says player data will be hosted on servers in India, with enhanced data protection measures.
Source: Gizbot — player safety and India servers
For downloads, Sportskeeda reported the Android version at about 392 MB on Google Play and the iOS version at about 1.5 GB on the App Store, with Android 4.4 or higher and iOS 13.0 or later required, plus at least 2 GB of free space. Players should download only from the official store listings and check that the publisher is Garena.
Source: Sportskeeda — app size and system requirements
Garena also says it plans to support India's esports community through the India edition. How the new safety tools work in practice will become clearer now that the game is live.
Source: Gizbot — esports plans