Free Fire Esports Makes Its Return in India With Free Fire MAX India Cup

After 3.5 years of waiting, the Free Fire Esports returns to India. Around the world, Free Fire is still one of the most popular mobile games. With all eyes set on India, Garena has announced the Free Fire MAX India Cup, with a prize pool of Rs. 1 crore. The announcement marks the revival of the Free Fire Max ecosystem in India. What does this mean for the Indian Esports ecosystem? Let's find out!

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Garena announced Free Fire MAX India Cup, with a Rs. 1 Crore ($116,978) prize pool

Credits: Garena

Back in 2022, Free Fire was banned in India as the game's servers were based in China and were a potential national security issue. Since then, the higher-quality version of the game, Free Fire Max, which originated in Singapore, has remained available in India and has become one of the highest-earning games in the country.

A few weeks back, Garena hosted the Free Fire awards, where they dropped multiple hints suggesting the return of the game's esports ecosystem. On June 27, Garena announced the launch of the Free Fire Max India Cup, featuring a massive prize pool of Rs. 1 crore on their social media platforms. Following the announcement, several esports organisations began seeking teams to acquire, with GodLike Esports successfully signing the former Autobotz Esports Free Fire lineup.

This tournament will be in collaboration with TEZ, a subsidiary of the Hiranandani Group. The Hiranandani Group is one of the most prominent builders in India.

The Impact Of This Tournament On Indian Esports

The announcement of this event has sent shockwaves all over India, and the Instagram post has gotten over 3.1 million views. It is worth noting that, to date, the mobile Esports ecosystem in India has been dominated by Krafton India, thanks to their flagship title, BGMI.

Now that Free Fire Max esports has returned, Krafton India will need to stay on its toes. Interestingly, Garena announced the Free Fire Max India Cup just a few days after Krafton India revealed its plans for a new BGMI franchising league. Both top mobile titles are expected to follow different models as the Free Fire Max India Cup will feature no direct invites, with all teams required to qualify through open qualifiers.