Free Fire: Can The Game Last For Much Longer In The Battle Royale Mobile Market?

Garena Free Fire, despite the name, was developed by 111dots Studio and Garena is only the publisher. The game came out less than three years ago on December 4, 2017, for iOS and Android. Despite its short tenure, it's already having to compete with the likes of PUBG Mobile, COD Mobile, and other mobile BR games.

The mobile BR gaming market has grown remarkably and so has the number of games. So can Free Fire survive in such a competitive environment, with games that are also exciting and attract lots of fans? Let's examine this further:

A saturated BR environment?

Free Fire has always had a good player base among lower to mid-range devices thanks to its more simplified gameplay. But that didn't stop the game from breaking into esports as a noteworthy event. But other competitors like PUBG Mobile or COD Mobile have also improved their compatibility with lower-end devices to win over that market.

However, the game has kept responding by being more unique and having a smoother and lighter BR experience than its competitors. This has ensured Free Fire continues to hold onto its loyal player base and attract newcomers.

Becoming P2W

A problem that has been rearing its head with Free Fire is how the game is increasingly leaning towards a "Pay-To-Win" model. This could hurt Free Fire's approachable nature and the lower-end devices market. Although the game has already passed its $1 billion dollar revenue milestone last year, we wonder if Free Fire can truly maintain its momentum.

Hype and buzz

One of the ways Free Fire maintains a constant interest in the game is how in-game events keep coming out regularly. By creating anticipation and rewarding players with gun skins, buffs, costumes, etc., the game keeps the players involved and hyped up.

Garena has also made deals with celebs and famous streamers to keep generating buzz to please the Free Fire community. It's also to also spread the word around to potential newcomers.

User engagement

Possibly the most important factor that an online game can keep surviving and thriving is how much the devs value the players. The good news is the devs constantly engage with fans and listen to feedback to the point of exceeding expectations.

With the way the game actively introduces new modes, features, characters, etc. and promotes them, let's just say Free Fire devs pass this test with full marks. Combined with frequent events and rewards and maintaining smooth gameplay, Free Fire can always carve out a slice of the mobile BR gaming pie.

But can the game keep that up with a P2W model? We'll have to wait and see.