“We may have to start from zero all over again”: Hari “PVS Gaming” Raman on Free Fire ban in India

The unexpected ban on Free Fire has impacted the lives and livelihood of many Indian gamers. Be it esports or casual gaming, the sudden removal of the game has proved detrimental to developing a thriving competitive gaming scene in the country.

The battle royale title was removed from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store on 12 February 2022 and was eventually banned by the Indian government on 14 February 2022.

Hari “PVS Gaming” Raman, a popular Free Fire content creator, spoke to Sportskeeda Esports to express his distress regarding the ban.

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PVS Gaming’s take on Free Fire ban

PVS Gaming, the YouTube channel of Hari Raman, a Free Fire content creator based in Tamil Nadu, has over 2.28 million subscribers. Professionally a doctor, Raman, with his informative content targeted towards the Tamil audience, has garnered over 277 million views on his videos.

He commented on how the game helped him through his tough times and how the unforeseen ban created a profound impact on him:

“Free Fire is the game that helped me connect with people when I was lonely and helped me pay by MBBS fees. It is a game that I am emotionally attached to. I have been creating thoughtful gaming content in Tamil via this title. Now with the announcement of its ban, I am extremely saddened. It is the game that gave me an identity and helped me pursue my biggest dream of becoming a doctor.”

He also stated that the battle royale game allowed his team members to win esports competitions which gave them financial aid in times of trouble:

“My team of five more gamers who come from humble backgrounds even won several tournaments in 2021, therefore taking care of their financial needs has been my responsibility. I hope that the game comes back soon, or else we may have to start from zero all over again.”

He ended on a positive note, hoping for the game’s return. Much like PVS Gaming, many players on the internet are asking the government and Garena to release an Indian version, just like Krafton did with Battlegrounds Mobile India.