HT Syndication
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 17: KRAFTON India today rolled out the BGMI 5th Anniversary Edition 4.5 Update - one of the biggest crossover seasons in the game's history, and its clearest signal yet of what BGMI is becoming. Five years after launch, and with more than 260 million players in India, BGMI is no longer simply the country's most-played game. It is becoming its largest platform for play, creation and social connection.
After individually unveiling collaborations with Naruto, Marvel's Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Ferrari over recent weeks, the update now brings them all together, live in the game at once - alongside new user generated games in WOW Mode, India-themed Card Collections, and a major creator collaboration items and events still to be revealed. Every BGMI update introduces something new for players. 4.5 brings together entire worlds.
Commenting on the development, Srinjoy Das, Director, Marketing and BGMI Product Management, KRAFTON India said: "A year ago, we set out on a journey to turn BGMI from a game into a platform - a place where your friends live, where you create, and where you belong. We're on year two now, and the proof is everywhere: over 50,000 creators building maps that are played tens of millions of times, a Cards system that boasts of cards full of India themed cards and easter eggs, and an X-Suit mechanic where missions can be completed for progression. The 4.5 update is that vision at full scale. With India first features and IPs working seamlessly with iconic Global IPs working in tandem with the most vibrant map making ecosystem - we are turning India's most beloved game into its most beloved platform."
The celebration kicks off for free! Every player who logs in during the season will receive Naruto-themed rewards, including dedicated gift tracks for both new players and returning veterans, Flash Crew rapport rewards, and Naruto lobby music to set the tone from the very first screen.
Three Global Icons, Faithfully Recreated
What sets the 4.5 season apart is not the scale of its collaborations, but their fidelity. Each of the three global IPs has been rebuilt inside BGMI with a level of authenticity designed to satisfy the fans who know these worlds best.
- Naruto: Ninjas Assemble - the headline theme mode reimagines Erangel and Livik as the Hidden Leaf Village, recreated faithfully down to Hokage Rock, Ichiraku Ramen and the Ninja Academy. It introduces an all-new ninjutsu combat system with abilities including Rasengan, Chidori and Flying Raijin Jutsu, the Ninja Run movement mechanic, Voice-Activated Ninjutsu, multi-phase Kurama (Nine-Tails) boss battles, and Naruto skins via the Naruto Gold Spin, including Sage Mode and Six Paths Mode sets and
- Kurama Defense: A massive, server-wide cooperative event that disables PvP combat, tasking the entire community with defending the Hidden Leaf Village against a multi-phase Nine-Tails assault.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day - brings superhero traversal to Erangel through Web Swing, Web Attack, Spider Climb and Spider-Sense, alongside the new Skyline Plaza vertical-combat district, Peter Parker's apartment, and Aunt May's grave. The mode swings in on July 30, one day before Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens in theatres - so Indian fans can watch Peter Parker on the big screen and play him on the Battlegrounds in the same week
- Ferrari - makes its first-ever entry into BGMI with four legendary models, the Roma, Purosangue, LaFerrari and SF90 XX Spider, each in multiple colour variants, The collaboration with Ferrari and Scuderia Ferrari HP also parks a Formula 1 car on the battleground - players can trigger a special viewing sequence at display stands across the map and take in-game photos with the Scuderia Ferrari HP F1 car.
All three collaborations were revealed individually ahead of launch and are now live together as part of the 4.5 season - the most authentic representation of global IPs the game has ever delivered.
India Doesn't Just Play BGMI - It Builds It
At the heart of BGMI's evolution into a platform is its player-created WOW ecosystem, where more than 50,000 creators design maps that are collectively played tens of millions of times. The 4.5 update expands it with all-new experiences headlined by Steal a Brain Rot and its companion mode Shoot a Brain Rot, created in collaboration with DoBiG - blending fast-paced action with tycoon-style progression as players collect, upgrade and battle Brain Rot characters. From bank-heist maps to parkour challenges, WOW has become a reason players return every night, and a clear demonstration of what happens when a platform of BGMI's scale hands its community the tools to create.
India-Themed Card Collections
The 4.5 update evolves BGMI's Card Collection System - a feature built on the same nostalgia Indians feel for the cricket trump cards they collected as kids. Cards are now easier to collect, exchange and complete, redeemable directly using theme tokens, with refreshed rotations and improved mutual-assistance and exchange features. The season introduces new India-themed and Naruto-themed cards, alongside a new Flash Card featuring the Karambit - Blazing Sun, deepening the collectible experience built around the moments Indian players love most.
And the Biggest Reveal Is Still to Come
BGMI's celebration of India's creator ecosystem continues this season - and the 4.5 update saves some of its biggest surprises for later. One of the country's most-loved and most-followed creators, CarryMinati will feature heavily in the Battlegrounds in the weeks ahead, with an all-new set of in-game experiences - and a major reveal timed closer to Independence Day. Full details will follow soon. This is one moment the community won't want to miss.
A Full Season of Rewards; Three New X-Suits
Beyond its headline collaborations, BGMI 4.5 delivers three new X-Suits with an exciting upgrade progression mechanic wherein players can choose 1 of the X-Suit forms and upgrade them while completing missions. For the first time, players can acquire upgrade materials by completing dedicated X-Suit missions and upgrade them all the way to it's highest form by pure grind.
The 4.5 season arrives as BGMI marks its fifth anniversary - and as KRAFTON India enters the second year of a multi-year shift from game to platform. The season also deepens the social layer that makes BGMI a daily habit. A new Flash Crew season arrives with Naruto-themed crew items, and squads can now schedule matches up to seven days in advance with Team-Up Reservation - the game reminds offline teammates as the slot approaches and brings the whole crew together when it arrives. A new Private Squad setting gives players full control over who sees their team-up status. For millions of players, BGMI is where the squad plans its evening, not just where it plays."Social hubs where players gather, and chitchat after an intense rank-push, a creation ecosystem that turns players into builders, a collectibles culture rooted in Indian nostalgia, and collaborations now fully Indianised across autos, fashion, sports and anime: together, they point to a future where BGMI is the full entertainment experience for India's players. Five years in, it remains the game leading India's gaming scene - and increasingly, the platform India builds together.
BGMI 4.5: Key Dates at a Glance
- Jul 16: Naruto: Ninjas Assemble Theme Mode, Ferrari Speed Drift, Card Collection Bonus Event, Shinobi Spree and WOW Token Upgrade go live
- Jul 19: Naruto Gold Spin and Naruto Mini Royale Pass launch
- Jul 20: Buddy Spin begins
- Jul 22: Friendship Day Exchange Event starts
- Jul 23: Royale Pass A20 launches, along with Naruto-themed WOW experiences including Valley of the End and Konoha Village
- Jul 24: AG Bonus Challenge Matches and the first AG Bonus Exchange begin
- Jul 30: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Theme Mode arrives
- Aug 1: Druvaen X-Suit and UC Up Event (30K Tier) begin
- Aug 2: Independence Day Spin launches
- Aug 6: Independence Day DSB Event begins
- Aug 7: Brain Rot WOW experiences -- Steal a Brain Rot and Shoot a Brain Rot -- become available
- Aug 8: Independence Day Exchange Event begins
- Aug 15: Carry Minati Collaboration
- Aug 26: Phantasia Siren Gold Spin begins
- Aug 31: Second DSB Event starts
- Sep 2: Ethereal Crate launches
- Sep 7: Ferrari collaboration ends
About KRAFTON, Inc.
Headquartered in Korea, KRAFTON, Inc. is a global game developer and publisher dedicated to pioneering unforgettable worlds for players everywhere. Founded in 2007, KRAFTON brings together a diverse portfolio of studios including PUBG STUDIOS, Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, Neon Giant, KRAFTON Montreal Studio, Bluehole Studio, RisingWings, 5minlab, Dreamotion, ReLU Games, Flyway Games, Tango Gameworks, inZOI Studio, JOFSOFT, Eleventh Hour Games, OmniCraft Labs, Olivetree Games, Loonshot Games, and 9B STUDIO. Each is united by a commitment to bold imagination and breakthrough game-making. KRAFTON's franchises and titles include PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG MOBILE, PUBG: BLINDSPOT, inZOI, Subnautica, MIMESIS, Hi-Fi Rush, Dinkum, TERA, My Little Puppy, and more. Guided by its vision to pioneer the path to players' dreams, KRAFTON is focused on building franchises that last and delivering experiences that resonate with players around the world. For more information, visit www.KRAFTON.com.
About KRAFTON India
KRAFTON India is responsible for delivering premier mobile gaming experiences in the country, led by its flagship title BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI), which has surpassed 260 million downloads. Its diverse portfolio also includes titles such as Bullet Echo India, Road To Valor: Empires, CookieRun India, and Real Cricket, catering to a wide spectrum of Indian gamers.
Beyond publishing games, KRAFTON India is committed to strengthening the digital entertainment ecosystem. Since 2021, the company has invested over $250 million in Indian startups across interactive entertainment, gaming, esports, and technology. Furthermore, KRAFTON has also launched the KRAFTON India Unicorn Growth Fund, a Rs 6,000 crore fund, set up jointly with South Korean technology giant, Naver and financial services major Mirae Asset, and which is aimed at supporting high-potential startups and accelerating the growth of India's next generation of global technology leaders. The company also actively supports game development talent through the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI), enabling emerging developers with funding, mentorship, and strategic guidance.
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