Singapore, September 3 2026 – Garena Free Fire has won the ‘Best Use of IP or Licence’ award at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026 for its NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Chapter 2: Ninja War collaboration. Held during gamescom week in Cologne, Germany, the ninth edition of the Awards recognised standout games, companies, and talent across the global mobile games industry.
Developed and published by Garena, Free Fire is a mobile-first battle royale game serving more than 100 million daily active users worldwide. Beyond bringing fan-favorite characters and collectibles into Free Fire with close attention to detail, the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration carried that same level of authenticity into the gameplay itself. Players could wield iconic jutsu and rogue ninja abilities and explore a transformed Hidden Leaf Village within Free Fire’s map, experiencing elements that NARUTO superfans would immediately recognise.
The campaign extended beyond the game through offline community activations and esports across Asia and the Americas. Its centerpiece, Ninja Clash All Stars, brought together top players and creators from across Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, and Mexico for a two-day tournament in Bangkok. From a championship trophy inspired by the anime’s iconic kunai and scrolls to over 10 interactive themed booths, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN details were woven throughout the tournament, which welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors, generated more than 247 million video views, and trended on YouTube Gaming across six regions.
Locally tailored Free Fire x NARUTO SHIPPUDEN events in Peru, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Taiwan also brought the collaboration closer to Free Fire communities. On TikTok alone, Free Fire × NARUTO SHIPPUDEN content generated more than 3 billion views, with fans expressing their enthusiasm through their own cosplay, fan art, gameplay videos, and memes.
“We are honoured by this recognition and grateful to our players and fans for embracing the collaboration, and to our partners for trusting us to bring our shared vision to life,” said Harold Teo, Free Fire Global Producer at Garena. “With every collaboration, our teams start by understanding what makes each IP special and design experiences that feel natural to Free Fire while staying authentic to the IP. As we approach our 10th anniversary in 2027, we’re excited to celebrate how far we’ve come with our Free Fire community, and there will be plenty more to look forward to in the year ahead.”
