Free Fire 2018 may end in June; see the reason
Creators of Free Fire 2018 explained to Bruno PlayHard why they intend to end the project in June.
By
Ronny Rolim
Those who follow Free Fire 2018 received an important signal about the project's future: the creators of the modified version said, in an interview with Bruno PlayHard, that they intend to shut down the servers between June 10 and 15, 2026.
This statement directly affects players who use the old modified APK to access matches outside of Garena's official servers. The information did not come from the developer of Free Fire, but from the creators/modifiers of the project themselves, who stated they do not want to confront the company.
During the conversation, they explained that Free Fire 2018 grew more than expected, caught the attention of influencers, and currently relies on a structure maintained by the team itself. According to the interviewees, part of the costs is covered by shortened links used to release access keys, but the amount raised does not cover everything.
Free Fire 2018 may go off the air in June
The most important point of the interview is the possible shut-down date. One of the creators stated that the team intends to stop the project between June 10 and 15, 2026, primarily due to the unexpected visibility that Free Fire 2018 gained in recent weeks.
According to them, the initial idea was not to turn the modified APK into a phenomenon open to a large mass of players. The project started as something more closed, aimed at a nostalgic community wanting to relive the sensation of the old Free Fire.
With the involvement of influencers and streamers, the scenario changed. Free Fire 2018 began circulating more widely, gaining comments on livestreams and attracting players wanting to test the classic version. This growth, according to the creators, also raised concerns regarding Garena.
Quotable quote: Free Fire 2018 may be shut down between June 10 and 15, 2026, by the creators' own decision after the project gained visibility outside of the original community.
The project is not official from Garena
The Free Fire 2018 mentioned in the interview is not an official version released by Garena. It is an old APK of the game that has been studied, modified, and linked to third-party recreated servers.
In the conversation with Bruno PlayHard, the creators explained that they took an old APK available on download sites, performed reverse engineering, studied the client's communication protocol, and were able to create their own servers capable of communicating with this old version.
This helps to understand why the project attracts so much attention but also why it is delicate. Even though the proposal is nostalgia, the technical basis relies on a game that belongs to Garena. For that reason, the very creators affirmed that if the company requests a shutdown, they intend to comply.
To understand the difference between old APK, private server, nostalgia, and installation risks, also see the complete guide on Free Fire 2018: what it is, how to download, and whether it's safe to use the old APK.
How Free Fire 2018 functions outside of official servers
According to what was explained in the interview, the project does not connect to Garena's current servers. The team recreated their own structure so that the old client could function, including lobby, account creation, matches, and basic systems to allow gameplay.
In the beginning, according to the creators, the project was much more limited. They reported that the first phase only allowed entering the old lobby, visually changing outfits, and simulating an account. The match itself was described as the most challenging part to implement.
This detail is important because it shows that Free Fire 2018 is not just about "downloading an old APK and playing." The APK needs servers that respond as the game expected in 2018. Without this structure, the old client would not function normally in online matches.
Why did so many people want to play Free Fire 2018?
The interest in Free Fire 2018 has a simple explanation: nostalgia. Many players remember a time when the game was lighter, more straightforward, with fewer characters, fewer systems, and a very different Bermuda than the current one.
For part of the community, 2018 represents the period of “root Free Fire.” It's the phase of simpler mobile phones, lighter graphics, quicker matches, and an experience that many consider cleaner than the current game.
This collective memory made the project grow when content creators started testing the modified version. In the interview, the creators cited names like Marechal, PHzinho, and El Gato among the influencers who helped bring attention to the topic.
The problem is that visibility also changes the project's weight. What was once a smaller community became visible to thousands of people, creating greater pressure on the creators and increasing the risk of a response from Garena.
Community reached about 600 thousand people on Discord
One of the most striking numbers in the interview was the size of the community. The creators stated that the main Discord server for Free Fire 2018 reached about 600 thousand people, a number that surprised Bruno PlayHard during the conversation.
According to them, this volume even surpassed official communities in certain comparisons mentioned in the interview. Although the number of simultaneous players was much smaller, the size of the Discord shows how the topic spread rapidly.
- Main Discord: about 600 thousand people, according to the creators.
- Another server mentioned: approximately 160 thousand people.
- Peak players: about 800 people on busier weekends.
- Common days: between 400 and 500 players online, according to the team.
- Daily flow: around 700 players coming in, playing, and leaving throughout the day.
These data help to contextualize the decision to shut down the project. Although the number of simultaneous players is small compared to the official Free Fire, the community surrounding the modified APK became large enough to catch attention.
How creators make money with Free Fire 2018
Another important point from the interview was monetization. Bruno PlayHard asked if the creators make money from Free Fire 2018 or if they only spend to keep the project running. The response was that there is some revenue from link shorteners, but it is insufficient to cover the structure.
Practically, these shorteners appear on the path used by players to obtain access keys for Free Fire 2018. The user goes through links with ads before reaching the necessary release to access the project. This type of monetization generates income through views or interactions with ads.
Even so, the creators affirmed that the money does not pay for everything. They said that the team has to pool resources from their own pockets at the end of the month to maintain machines, servers, energy, and maintenance.
This section is central to understanding why the project has an expiration date. Free Fire 2018 requires servers, protection, technical support, and maintenance time, but it does not operate like a traditional commercial game. The creators themselves stated that they do not sell diamonds or items within the project.
Costs exceed R$ 2 thousand per month, according to the team
During the interview, the creators reported spending over R$ 2 thousand per month to keep Free Fire 2018 up and running. The account includes external machines, servers, power, and physical equipment maintenance.
One of the creators also explained that part of the infrastructure is at home, with their own server, UPS, and parts that need to be replaced when they have issues. Items such as RAM and NVME SSD were mentioned, which increase the cost when there’s a need for replacement.
This home structure helps to explain the project's instability at times. If there is a power issue, attack, network drop, or equipment failure, the players' experience may be affected.
In the interview itself, the creators discussed episodes of attempts to disrupt matches and attacks against the server, especially when influencers were playing. This forced the team to work on protections against invalid packets and IP blocks.
Shortened links became community complaints
The link shorteners also appear as a source of friction with players. According to the creators, part of the community complains about the amount of ads in the links, even though this is one of the few paths used to raise money for maintenance.
This dynamic is common in unofficial projects: free access attracts many people, but the structure has a real cost. When monetization depends on ads and shorteners, the user experience worsens, especially on mobile devices where pop-ups and redirects can be confusing.
For the player, this is another reason to exercise caution. Shortened links can be legitimately used for monetization but can also hide dangerous pages, aggressive ads, or fake downloads. In projects involving APKs, this risk increases.
Thus, even when the team's intention is merely to maintain the server, the user must evaluate whether it is worth navigating through external pages to obtain access keys to an unofficial version.
Creators say they would end it if Garena asked
The interview also made clear the creators' stance regarding Garena. They said that if the company speaks out requesting a shutdown, they will obey and take the project offline.
According to the creators, the intention is not to fight, publicly debate, or try to confront the game's owner. The statement reinforces that they know Free Fire 2018 exists in a sensitive area since it uses an old client of an active and commercially relevant game.
This caution also shows when they explain why they want to stop before a conflict arises. The team stated that they do not want to compete with the original game, even considering that the number of players in the project is insignificant compared to the official Free Fire's player base.
The growth with influencers changed the project's direction
According to the interviewees, the explosion of interest began after influencers started playing and commenting on Free Fire 2018. The project, which was previously more closed, gained a new layer of exposure.
In the conversation, the creators mentioned that Marechal was one of the first names to drive the wave. Then, other creators and streamers also tested or commented on the old version, amplifying the community's curiosity.
Bruno PlayHard also recalled that he had joined the project at an earlier stage when it was only possible to see the lobby. At that moment, there was still not a complete match experience, which limited players' interest.
When matches began to function, the project stopped being just a visual curiosity and started to offer an experience closer to the old Free Fire. This was the point that sparked increased demand for the APK and the keys.
Free Fire 2018 became a technical showcase for the creators
Despite the risks, the interview showed that the project also became a showcase of technical knowledge. The creators spoke about reverse engineering, protocols, authentication, security, anti-cheat, protection against network attacks, and servers.
One of them explained that he intends to study Systems Analysis and Development, but stated that he currently does not have completed training. Other members also learned in practice, dividing tasks based on each person's interests.
This part caught Bruno PlayHard's attention, who highlighted the team's dedication. The host treated the project as a demonstration of technical capacity but also advised those involved to use this knowledge in safer and legally sustainable paths.
Team speaks about creating their own game in the future
When asked about the future, the creators stated they intend to create their own game. The idea would be to leverage the knowledge gained from servers, security, Unity, protocols, and online systems to develop something original.
This plan was still presented in its initial form. There was no announcement of a name, date, gameplay, registration, or launch. What exists, for now, is the intention to transform the experience accumulated in Free Fire 2018 into an original project.
Bruno PlayHard also suggested that the team could direct this technical capacity toward Brazilian projects, mentioning Prime Rush during the interview. The tone of the conversation was encouraging for the creators to move away from dependence on a modified APK and attempt to build something original.
What changes for players now
In practice, those who still access Free Fire 2018 need to consider that the project may be in its final phase. Since the date mentioned by the creators falls between June 10 and 15, 2026, there is no guarantee of continuity beyond that period.
There is also no confirmation that servers, accounts, progress, access through keys, or communities linked to the project will continue to function in the same way. Since everything depends on an independent team, any change may occur without wide notice.
The player should also clearly distinguish between things: nostalgia for the old Free Fire is one thing; installing modified APKs, going through shorteners, and using private servers is another. The latter option involves technical risks and possible violations of the official game's rules.
- Do not use your main account on modified APKs.
- Do not provide passwords, social login, or verification codes on external pages.
- Avoid downloads sent via Discord, Telegram, MediaFire, or unknown shortened links.
- Be suspicious of promises of diamonds, skins, accounts, or unlimited access.
- Consider that the project may go offline in June 2026.
Why does old APK require care
Old and modified APKs do not undergo the same control as official stores. Even if a file seems to work, the player cannot know everything that has been altered internally without technical analysis.
External files may include abusive permissions, fake login screens, trackers, aggressive ads, or malicious codes. Additionally, pages used to release keys may lead the user to install other applications or accept unwanted notifications.
In the case of Free Fire, there is also the risk related to Garena’s rules. Private servers, modified clients, and external tools usually do not belong to the official gaming environment. Therefore, using the main account in any such experience is not recommended.
The safest path remains playing Free Fire and Free Fire MAX through the official stores, with a protected account and active authentication.
The end of Free Fire 2018 closes a cycle of nostalgia
If the closure is confirmed, Free Fire 2018 should mark the end of one of the most curious community experiences surrounding the game in recent years. The project was born from the desire to revive an old phase and ended up becoming too large to remain discreet.
The interview with Bruno PlayHard showed both sides of this story. On one side, there is a massive community driven by nostalgia for root FF. On the other, there are costs, risks, technical pressure, shortened links, the need for keys, concerns about Garena, and a project that was not created to operate on a public scale.
For those who just wanted to remember how Free Fire was in 2018, this episode reinforces a greater discussion: many players still miss the simplicity of the old game. This nostalgia exists, but it does not change the fact that modified versions and private servers remain unofficial environments.
Now, the most prudent thing is to watch whether the creators confirm the shutdown in June 2026 and avoid installing unknown files solely out of curiosity. To understand the entire context, the risks, and the difference between the old APK and the official version, read the complete guide on Free Fire 2018 and see other Free Fire news.
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