Korean pop sensation BTS are Free Fire's latest brand ambassadors
Free Fire has had impressive tie-ups over the years, but their latest might be their largest yet.
Publisher Garena announced on Monday (28 February) that the game would be welcoming K-pop giants BTS as their latest brand ambassadors.
In addition, Garena said players could look forward to a series of collaboration events and activities, "both in the game and beyond", but no further details were released.
Harold Teo, Free Fire Producer at Garena, said, "“Bringing BTS into the Free Fire universe will offer our players more ways to engage with the game, socialise with the community, and enjoy new experiences."
This latest announcement comes at a time when Free Fire is facing some of its biggest challenges globally.
India, the top market for both Free Fire and its premium Free Fire MAX, recently banned the mobile game, along with hundreds of others, in an expanding crackdown on Chinese apps. India had previously banned Chinese apps such as TikTok and WeChat in 2020, after a skirmish with Chinese troops along a disputed Himalayan border which killed 20 Indian soldiers.
The Free Fire ban led to Singapore, where Garena parent company Sea is based, reportedly raising concerns as the move spooked investors. Sea lost more than US$16 billion of value after India's ban wave.
And across the Pacific, Garena is also facing a lawsuit from PUBG Mobile developer Krafton for copyright infringement over Free Fire, although a Garena spokesperson has said that the claims were "groundless".
Meanwhile, BTS are preparing to return to the stage in South Korea for the first time in two years, following four sold-out nights in Los Angeles.
The group had last performed in South Korea in 2019, before the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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