Fact Check: Is Free Fire MAX going to shut down in India?

Free Fire MAX fans on the Brazilian server were shocked when Garena pushed an in-game notice suggesting the title might be shut down. As per the information provided by the developers, the game will reportedly not receive any future updates or be taken down for maintenance beyond March 21, 2023 (presumably the OB39 patch).

The in-game message hints at the end of Free Fire MAX on its Brazilian server and that developers will focus on this title's original version. Here's what it said:

"To improve the experience for everyone who plays Free Fire, we will focus our resources on Free Fire original. Therefore, effective March 21, 2023, we will stop providing maintenance and updates for the Max version. Be sure to ensure that the account is linked to a social network to access it in the original Free Fire."

This news has left many Indian fans confused regarding the MAX version's future in the country, especially since FF has been banned in the nation for more than a year. However, it seems unlikely that the former title will be taken down in India anytime soon.

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No reports of Free Fire MAX's shutdown in India, as Garena introduces something new

Player satisfaction survey for FF MAX users (Image via Garena)

As of March 11, 2023, there have been no reports of FF MAX being made unavailable to play in India. Hence, fans can take a sigh of relief for the time being while waiting for Garena's final response on the title's state and future. However, the FF MAX Operations Team associated with the Indian server has added two new notices in the in-game "News" section for users.

One of them is regarding the "March Satisfaction Survey" for users. In it, the Operations Team has asked questions about the title's gameplay features, payment procedure, designs, skins, and more. In the other notice, the FF MAX users are required to fill in their personal information if they want to attend a meet-up with Garena devs. Here's what this in-game message reads:

"Do you want to help shape the future of Free Fire MAX? As a part of our efforts to improve player experience, we would like to hear from you! If you are interested in meeting us for an in-person discussion to share your views, please fill up the form."

Meet-up call for Free Fire MAX users (Image via Garena)

Thus, such notices hint at Garena's efforts to improve the game's quality and further rule out any chances of it being shut down in India. Moreover, the discontinuation of FF MAX in the country's server seems less likely, as other regions have Free Fire as the original variant, which has been banned in India since February 2022.

Therefore, it doesn't seem favorable for Garena to shut down its only game in India. Still, considering the downward trajectory of FF and Free Fire MAX's popularity since the former's ban in India might mean its enhanced version might be taken down in the future. Hence, players must wait for an official confirmation regarding the situation from Garena's side.

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Note: Advance Server for the OB39 patch is currently online, so players can focus on the same rather than giving attention to the unconfirmed rumors.