The tournament runs from July 13 to September 28, marking Free Fire’s first major competitive event since its 2022 ban. India recorded 8.45 billion mobile game downloads in FY 2024-25, leading the world in mobile gaming adoption.
“The return of Free Fire is a watershed for mobile esports in India,” said Akshat Rathee, Co-founder of NODWIN Gaming. The game’s ability to run on low-end smartphones makes it accessible to millions of players in tier 2 and 3 cities who were previously excluded from structured tournaments.
Free Fire’s return creates competition for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), which dominated the mobile battle royale space during the ban. Industry experts expect this to balance the ecosystem through increased sponsorship opportunities and grassroots talent development. The comeback also promises to boost India’s gaming creator economy as content creators reconnect with their communities.
