Scope of Free Fire's India return explored

Ever since Free Fire was banned in India, most battle royale mobile gamers have been praying for its comeback. However, after assessing the current situation, that possibility does not seem very bright.

The battle royale title was taken down from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store on 12 February 2022 and the ban followed shortly after on 14 February 2022. Even though the game had no Chinese roots, it was banned by the Indian government as it was a threat to national security.

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Will Free Fire be unbanned?

After Free Fire's ban, MAX has become the most downloaded mobile game in India (Image via Sportskeeda)

So far, no official indication of the unbanning of the battle royale game has been revealed. However, Indian mobile gamers are not entirely alienated from the game as they have the option to enjoy its premium version, Free Fire MAX.

Ever since Garena’s flagship title was banned, a massive chunk of its player base shifted to an enhanced game version. One of the major advantages of this shift was that they could use their old accounts. Due to Firelink technology, their in-game accessories, rank, and characters were reflected in the premium version.

Garena has also tried to make the MAX version more targeted toward the Indian audience by adding the word “IND” on its social media handles. Recently, information regarding key events revolving around the Indian festival of colors, Holi, was uploaded on the premium version's social media platforms.

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Will there be a lighter version of Free Fire MAX targeted at the Indian audience?

Players can expect the release of BGMI Lite soon (Image via Sportskeeda)

Lighter versions of famous applications have always been a major hit in India. The battle royale mobile gaming community is already looking forward to a rumored lighter version of the famous mobile game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). Even if the release of BGMI Lite has not been officially confirmed, many mobile gamers are looking forward to its release.

Since the enhanced version of the battle royale game is not compatible with low-end devices, many Indian players cannot enjoy the game. Hence, they are asking for an alternative to replace the banned game that would run smoothly on low-end devices. No confirmation of a lighter version of Free Fire MAX has been confirmed by Garena so far.