Who Created Free Fire? Who Developed the Game and Garena’s Role
Free Fire was not created directly by Garena. The game was developed by 111dots Studio and published globally by Garena, under the leadership of Forrest Li. Learn who actually created Free Fire and the role each party played in this story.
By
Ronny Rolim
Who developed Free Fire?
Free Fire began development in 2017 by 111dots Studio, a small Asian game studio responsible for the technical creation of the game. From the beginning, the project aimed to deliver a lightweight battle royale capable of running smoothly on low-end mobile devices.
During its early testing phase, the game — then known as Free Fire Battlegrounds — caught the attention of Garena, a Singapore-based company specialized in online game publishing. Garena acquired the global publishing rights and became directly involved in the game’s development and expansion.
What was Garena’s role in creating Free Fire?
Contrary to popular belief, Garena did not create Free Fire from scratch. Development remained under the responsibility of 111dots Studio, which continues to participate in the game’s evolution and the operation of part of its infrastructure, including the Vietnam server.
Who is Forrest Li?
Leading this strategy was Forrest Li, founder and CEO of Garena. Closely watching the growth of the mobile gaming market in Southeast Asia and Latin America, he identified Free Fire as an opportunity to reach players who were previously underserved by high-end battle royale games.
This marked the first time Garena actively participated in game development, going beyond its traditional role as a publisher. The result was the official launch of Garena Free Fire on December 4, 2017, for Android and iOS.
Read also: Complete history of Free Fire: creation, launch, and evolution.
The success of Free Fire established Forrest Li as one of the most influential executives in the video game industry. At the time, his net worth was estimated at approximately US$ 545 million.
Even before the official Portuguese release, Brazilian players were already downloading the Free Fire APK through alternative channels. This rapid growth led Garena to create a dedicated server for Brazil, something uncommon for mobile games at the time.
Why did Free Fire become so successful in Brazil?
Free Fire’s impact in Brazil was so significant that Garena requested 111dots Studio to include cultural references inside the game. One example is the area known as “Brasília”, located on the Purgatory map, created as a tribute to Brazilian players.
Another highlight was the introduction of the Miguel character, inspired by a Brazilian cinematic archetype. The original name was not used due to copyright restrictions, but the cultural reference remains clear.
Brazil became one of the largest Free Fire markets worldwide. While a single Latin American server supports countries like Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia, Brazil has a dedicated server exclusively for local players.
In Free Fire, each language corresponds to a specific server. This is why there is no Portuguese (Portugal) server — the player base is not large enough to justify one.
At launch, Free Fire occupied around 39 MB. Over the years, the game grew to nearly 800 MB, reflecting the addition of new maps, characters, game modes, and graphical improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions about who created Free Fire
Who created Free Fire?
Free Fire was developed by 111dots Studio and published globally by Garena.
Did Garena create Free Fire?
No. Garena is the publisher of Free Fire. The game was developed by 111dots Studio.
Who is Forrest Li and what is his role in Free Fire?
Forrest Li is the founder and CEO of Garena. He was responsible for the global publishing and expansion strategy of Free Fire.
Which country was Free Fire created in?
Free Fire was developed by 111dots Studio in Southeast Asia and published by Garena, a company based in Singapore.
Is 111dots Studio still working on Free Fire?
Yes. 111dots Studio continues to participate in Free Fire’s development and infrastructure operations.
Watch below the first official Free Fire presentation video:
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