In a surprising announcement, Garena, the publisher of the popular mobile game Free Fire, has declared that it will discontinue its upgraded version, Free Fire Max, after March 21, 2024. The move was aimed at enhancing the original version of the game and expanding its ecosystem. Although the shutdown notification was only conveyed to Brazilian players, it is yet to be confirmed whether Free Fire Max will be discontinued only in Brazil or globally.
Free Fire Max was launched in 2021 and was available in India, where the original version was banned on February 14, 2022. This left Indian players with no choice but to play the upgraded version, Free Fire Max. With the discontinuation of Free Fire Max, Indian Free Fire esports players will be left with no option to participate in tournaments and competitions.
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Garena confirms shutdown:
Garena sent an in-game mail to Free Fire Max users requesting that they download the original version of Free Fire and notifying them that the Max version of the game would stop receiving maintenance and updates after March 21, 2024. Garena has also confirmed the shutdown of Free Fire Max through a spokesperson.
Impact on Esports Athletes and Community:
This news comes as a shock to the Free Fire community, particularly after the recent shutdown of another popular game, Apex Legends. Free Fire Max was considered an advanced version of the original game, and its shutdown will have an impact on the esports athletes who relied on it to participate in tournaments and competitions.
Popular Free Fire YouTuber Gaming Aura shed some light on the situation on his channel. He explained that Garena operates differently in different countries, which means that if the shutdown notice was only sent to Brazilian players, it might indicate that the Max version of Free Fire will only be discontinued in Brazil and may not impact other countries such as India.
However, Garena has not yet made an official announcement regarding whether the shutdown will be limited to Brazil or if it will be globally. As of now, Free Fire Max players worldwide are uncertain about the fate of the game and its impact on the Free Fire community.
Future of Free Fire Max in India:
Regardless, it is clear that discontinuing Free Fire Max will have noteworthy outcomes, particularly for players who depended on it for competitive esports events. Since the original Free Fire is still prohibited in India, the future of the game in the country is uncertain. The Free Fire community will be monitoring Garena for any news about the game’s destiny.
Until the update in March, players who have already installed Free Fire Max can continue to use the game normally. However, following the update, users will no longer be able to log in to the Max version of Free Fire. The discontinuation of Free Fire Max will impact the Free Fire community, particularly the esports athletes who relied on it. While Garena’s decision to focus on improving the original version of the game is commendable, it remains to be seen how the community will respond to this news. It is also unclear whether the shutdown will be limited to Brazil or if it will be globally.
