If you are among the millions of users who got stranded by the sudden ban of Free Fire in India, below is the list of the best online multi-player battle royale games. Most of these games, if not all, are available for download on both Android mobile phones and iPhones in India. What’s more, they don’t have Chinese companies backing, so fewer chances of them getting banned in the country. The Free Fire ban is similar to what happened back in September 2020, when the government banned PUBG Mobile alongside several apps and games that belong to Chinese gaming and tech companies. It’s no longer available for download on Google Play Store and App Store. There is no update on whether Free Fire will ever make a comeback in the country at the moment.
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Why was Free Fire banned in India?
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has issued a ban on 54 apps that mostly belong to Chinese gaming and tech companies like Tencent, Alibaba, and NetEase. Free Fire has contacts with Tencent. The latter owns 25 percent shares in the game’s publisher Garena. The Indian government claims that the recently banned apps were sending sensitive data of Indians to servers in foreign countries like China. The Ministry of Electronics and IT has also claimed that these apps pose a threat to the security and privacy of Indians. It seems unlikely that Free Fire will return to India soon and players may be looking for other battle royale games with great gameplay and graphics.
Best Free Fire alternatives in India
Here are some of the popular online multiplayer battle royale games that Free Fire users can try:
- Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)
- Zombsroyale.io
- New State Mobile
- Fortnite
- FOG
1. Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)
In July 2021, South Korean developer Krafton launched a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile called Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). The app has no backing from Chinese gaming giant Tencent. It’s developed and managed by Krafton, which is a South Korean-based company. BGMI comes with some minor changes to gameplay and captures the core battle royale action of PUBG. The game drops 100 players on a map to battle for their survival. BGMI features various maps including Erangel, Sanhok, Miramar, Karakin, and Livik, as well as modes like Classic, Arcade, EvoGround, and Arena. It also gets exclusive events with popular IPs like the recent Spider-Man: No Way Home crossover.
Download: Android, iPhone
2. Zombsroyale.io
Zombsroyale.io is a 2D 100-player battle royale game developed by American developer End Game Interactive. You can also play Zombsroyale.io solo or in duos. In this game, players can squad up with their friends to defeat their opponents and eliminate zombies. Along with this, the Zombsroyale.io has other multiplayer modes like Weapons Race, 50v50, Crystal Clash, and more.
3. New State Mobile
South Korean developer Krafton’s New State Mobile has launched recently on Android and iPhone. The game is set in the year 2051 with maps like Erangel and Troi. The battle royale experience is quite similar to PUBG Mobile, with brand-new elements like electric vehicles and drone shops. New State Mobile also comes with modes like Team Deathmatch, Round Deathmatch, and BR: Extreme. The dev team has said that New State Mobile will get a lot of new content this year.
4. Fortnite
Fortnite is one of the biggest battle royale games across the globe and it supports cross-platform play across mobile, consoles, and PC. Developed by American developer Epic Games, the game puts 100 players on the evolving Island map, where players look for weapons and other items to survive while defeating their opponents. Fortnite often does crossovers with popular movie, TV, and anime franchises to bring new storylines, modes, and cosmetics into the game. Along with these, Epic Games hosts free virtual concerts, movie screenings, and massive community events in Fortnite. That being said, Fortnite is only available on Android via sideloading as Epic has ongoing lawsuits with Google and Apple.
Download: Android
5. FOG
Russian developer Playneta’s FOG combines various elements of battle royale, MOBA, and RPG to deliver a unique gameplay experience. The game takes place in a fantasy world where players try to survive against deadly fog while defeating their opponents. Unlike other battle royale games, FOG features medieval weapons like spears, swords, and bows alongside magic potions. You will also find various character classes and unique locations with monsters and other creatures.
