As Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) celebrates its fifth anniversary, the game is entering a new phase. While battle royale remains at its core, Krafton India believes BGMI is gradually transforming into something much larger, a platform where players don’t just compete but also create, socialize, and express themselves.
Speaking to TalkEsport, Srinjoy Das, Director of Marketing & BGMI Product Management, KRAFTON India, shared how BGMI has evolved over the past five years, the importance of collaborations like Naruto and Ferrari, the success of World of Wonder (WoW), and what players can expect during the rest of 2026.
From creator tools and community features to upcoming collaborations and in-game events, Das explained that the company’s long-term vision extends well beyond traditional gameplay.
BGMI Is Becoming More Than Just a Battle Royale Game
Reflecting on BGMI’s five-year journey in India, Srinjoy Das said the game has gone through several phases.
“These five years have been so exciting. We started off as a simple game. Then we turned into an emotion. And now, over the past one year, we are noticing that we are turning into something which is way more meaningful than just being a video game, which is a platform.”
According to him, the transition towards becoming a platform began around a year ago and is now becoming visible through various in-game features.
Instead of simply logging in to play battle royale matches, players can now create maps, spend time with friends, participate in social spaces like Hub and Cheer Park, and build communities inside the game.
Das believes these additions give players a stronger sense of belonging while allowing them to express their creativity in ways that weren’t previously possible.
“We have moved on from being just a video game to something that gives you a lot of belonging, a place to express your creativity, a place where you can spend time with your friends.”
World of Wonder (WoW Mode) Is Changing How Players Experience BGMI
One of the biggest parts of BGMI’s transformation is World of Wonder (WoW). Instead of restricting players to battle royale gameplay, WoW allows anyone to design their own custom experiences. Players have already built parkour challenges, horror maps, zombie survival experiences, cricket-inspired maps, and even stories based on Indian mythology.
He compared it to creating a “game within a game,” opening possibilities for story-driven adventures, permanent leaderboards, and persistent worlds inside BGMI.
The company is also planning more contests, incentives, and even programs aimed at encouraging professional Indian game studios to build experiences using WoW.
More Than 50,000 Maps Created by Players
During the interview, Das revealed that more than 50,000 creator-made maps now exist inside BGMI.
While Krafton always expected India to embrace user-generated content because of its massive creator ecosystem, the actual scale exceeded expectations.
“What we didn’t expect is the scale. Many maps are crossing over 50 million plays.”
He pointed out that playing a custom map requires significantly more effort than watching a short online video. Players need to download the map, invite friends, and spend considerable time playing it.
According to Das, the growing number of submissions every day proves that Indian creators are fully embracing WoW.
“The happiness of creators is showing up in the number of map submissions we receive every single day.”
Naruto Collaboration Leads BGMI 4.5 Update
The upcoming BGMI 4.5 update introduces one of the game’s biggest collaborations yet with Naruto. The update recreates the Hidden Leaf Village inside BGMI while bringing Naruto-themed gameplay, cosmetics, and special events. Das explained that collaborations are never just about adding licensed content. Instead, they are designed to bring together people with different interests under one platform.
“If you’re an anime fan, I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with the absolutely faithful rendition of Naruto inside the game.”
He also highlighted that several Naruto rewards, including some character skins, can be earned for free.
“You’re getting one of the best IPs in the world and probably one of the best renditions of the Hidden Leaf Village that you can think of.”
Ferrari, Spider-Man, CarryMinati, and More Collaborations Ahead
Apart from Naruto, BGMI has already confirmed collaborations with Ferrari and Spider-Man. Das also teased a major CarryMinati campaign around Independence Day. While he avoided revealing specific details, he confirmed that players should expect multiple surprises connected to the popular Indian creator.
Popular Indian gamer and social media influencer CarryMinati collaborated with Krafton India for the much-awaited BGMI 4.5 update.
A high-energy, single-take film featuring CarryMinati that seamlessly showcases the scale of the collaboration. The film follows Carry as he navigates through an uninterrupted journey where the world of BGMI transforms around him, naturally revealing the update’s biggest features, from iconic Naruto-inspired locations and ninja abilities to themed gameplay, characters, and exclusive in-game experiences.
Designed to feel immersive and cinematic, the one-take execution mirrors the fluidity and intensity of gameplay while highlighting the ambition of BGMI’s biggest anime collaboration yet. Carry Minati’s signature energy and relatability make him the perfect guide, helping players discover everything the update has to offer in one engaging, continuous experience. The film serves as both an entertainment piece and a comprehensive showcase of the BGMI x NARUTO update, which introduces Hidden Leaf Village-inspired environments, ninja abilities, themed events, and other crossover content.
Looking further ahead, Krafton plans to continue working with both global entertainment brands and Indian creators.
According to Das, every collaboration begins with community feedback.
The company regularly surveys players about which franchises, brands, or characters they want to see inside BGMI before approaching potential partners.
“We’ve always been very fan-first in respecting what content choices our fans make.”
Improving New Player Experience Remains a Priority
While collaborations often attract headlines, gameplay improvements remain equally important. Das confirmed that Krafton is actively improving matchmaking to make BGMI more welcoming for newcomers. Experienced players naturally dominate early matches, making it difficult for beginners to enjoy the game. To solve this, BGMI is introducing features that encourage experienced players to mentor newcomers and help them learn the game. The company also wants social spaces like Hub and Cheer Park to strengthen friendships beyond competitive gameplay.
Diwali Events, Creator Tournaments and More Coming in 2026
Although Naruto headlines the immediate future, Das confirmed that Krafton already has an ambitious roadmap planned for the remainder of 2026.
He teased three major surprises for Diwali, calling the festival experience one of the most visually impressive celebrations the studio has ever created.
“I have not seen such a beautiful rendition of Diwali in a video game in a long time.”
Players can also expect:
- Three Independence Day surprises around CarryMinati
- Another major Gen Z creator joining BGMI
- A well-known gaming YouTuber appearing inside the game
- Weekly in-game KOL tournaments
- More global IP collaborations throughout the year
According to Das, many of these announcements will surprise the community.
BGMI’s Vision Goes Beyond Battle Royale
Five years after its launch, Krafton believes BGMI has entered a completely new chapter.
Rather than focusing only on battle royale matches, the company wants BGMI to become a platform where players create content, build communities, discover new experiences, and interact with some of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises.
As Das summed it up:
“We started as a game, then became an emotion. Now we’re becoming a platform.”
With WoW continuing to expand, creator-focused features arriving soon, and a packed roadmap featuring Naruto, Ferrari, CarryMinati, Diwali celebrations, and future collaborations, BGMI’s sixth year could be one of its biggest yet.
