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The Best Gadgets of November 2025

The Best Gadgets of November 2025

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This is it, folks: the home stretch of 2025. We’ve got one more month left to go in our rotation around the sun before a new year dawns, and CES 2026 hits us with a wave of new gadgets.

But before that happens, let’s look back at November, which was somehow full of gaming announcements. We reviewed a kickass 14-inch gaming laptop from Acer, a modernized version of the Nintendo 64, a pair of overkill $600 gaming headphones that connect to all your consoles, and got our first look at Valve’s Steam Machine, new Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset. Sony even teased a new PlayStation Gaming Monitor with a built-in hook for charging up a PS5 DualSense controller.

As gaming-filled as November was, there were also lots of great gadgets that had nothing to do with gaming. And if you haven’t perused our Best Tech Gifts, Best Gaming Gifts, and Best Tech of 2025 Awards, you really should.

© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

Nobody could have predicted that the original phone-sized Boox Palma would find such a cult following. Turns out there is a market—niche, as it is—for a phone-sized color E Ink device. the Boox Palma 2 Pro is too small to be a tablet, but it’s also more phone than previous models. This time around, the color E Ink device has a 6.13-inch backlit screen that can display a few shades of color, 5G connectivity, and supports a stylus, which is useful for notetaking. Is the limited, color E Ink display going to make all your comics and graphic novels truly pop like print? No, but even being able to see your book covers in color is progress.

See Boox Palma 2 Pro at Amazon

Analogue 3d Review 02
© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

Got a pile of old Nintendo 64 games in the attic that need some dusting off? Analogue, makers of the Pocket and other limited edition and very premium retro consoles, has an Analogue 3D to sell you. Assuming you can buy one, the Analogue 3D is arguably the best way to play original N64 games with either original wired controllers (it also supports new wireless controllers like the 8BitDo 64). Those old games should look better than ever when plugged into a modern 4K TV via HDMI. The console includes a built-in upscaler and several “Analogue Original Display Modes” that replicate the look of an old CRT, softening the pixels so they appear smoother. Games can also be overclocked so that titles with virtually unplayable frame rates, like Superman 64, actually run.

Soundpeats Clip1 Review 2
© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

Look, we didn’t want to believe it either, but as Gizmodo Senior Writer James Pero, who specializes in reviewing wireless earbuds, headphones, and speakers, assured us, the $70 Soundpeats Clip 1 open-style wireless earbuds really throw down with Bose’s $300 Ultra Open Earbuds. They’re not the most stylish-looking, but they’re very comfortable, the sound is excellent, and they’re damn affordable. More no-gimmick gadgets like this, please!

See Soundpeats Clip1 at Amazon

Polar Loop Review 02
© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

This is exactly how competition should work. Challenging the Whoop 5.0 is the Polar Loop, a health and fitness wearable that also has no screen. Our reviewer Claire Maldarelli praised its lack of a subscription (a rarity today), long battery life, and comfortable design. The data collected from the Polar Loop’s heart rate monitor may not be as comprehensive as the Whoop’s, but if you don’t want to be bombarded with too much info, the wearable provides just enough.

See Polar Loop at Amazon

Framework Laptop 16 Review 25
© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

Framework already proved it could make a modular laptop with swappable I/O ports and upgradable and repairable components. For the 2025 refresh of the Laptop 16, the company offers a new GPU module that’s actually beefy enough for playing games. Will you have to lower some settings to prevent this thing from taking off? Probably, but just the fact that you could play games (with the proper GPU module) in a laptop that is as configurable as this (you can move the keyboard to either side, add a trackpad, or even throw on some additional panels, including ones that light up) is the kind of whimsy that you won’t find on any other “portable” machine.

Steelseries Arctis Nova Elite 08
© Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

$600 is a lot of money for a gaming headset. You have to be very sure you will appreciate the living hell out of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite. Should you be that person, you’ll find a headset that sounds terrific. The retractable microphone is also crystal clear, according to Gizmodo staff writer Kyle Barr, who reviewed the headset. The materials are very high quality, and the ability to plug into multiple consoles and a PC is ultimately what might make the expensive headset worth the convenience.

See SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite at Amazon

Acer Predator Triton 14 10
© Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

It’s really nice to see more gaming laptops look… less like rainbow vomits of RGB. Acer’s Predator Triton 14 AI is a 14-inch gaming machine that screams for playing games. Pretty much everything is premium, including an OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate, stylus support on the trackpad, mini-LED per-key, and decent battery life. The speakers are the only downside, but if you’ve got the money to splurge on a monster of a gaming laptop, the Predator Triton 14 AI is one of our favorites of the year.

See Acer Predator Triton 14 AI at Amazon

Dji Osmo Action 6 Vlogging Macro Lens
© DJI

DJI’s new products may no longer be available for purchase in the U.S. (because of unfounded fears of spying), but that isn’t stopping the drone maker from innovating with class-leading products. Case in point: the Osmo Action 6, which obliterates a GoPro with its “variable aperture” lens that can be adjusted from f/4.0 to a shallow f/2.0. The result is a rugged action camera that allows users to take even more creative footage, like photos and videos with more bokeh (background blur). The variable aperture also improves low-light capture. Somewhere, GoPro is shaking in its boots because it didn’t even bother updating the Hero 13 Black this year.

See DJI Osmo Action 6 at Amazon

Steam Frame VR headset
© Valve

Valve looked at the Apple Vision Pro and said… nah, let’s just make the Steam Frame a VR headset that’s super light, super modular, and works perfectly for streaming games from Steam on a PC into a giant virtual 2D screen with no lag. No spatial computing or 3D-generated avatars of your own likeness or freaky eyes on the front of the headset. The Steam Frame is just a really simple way to get a massive virtual screen for PC gaming.

Steam Machine Console
© Valve

Valve swooped in with what could potentially be a serious competitor to Sony and Xbox’s two-legged high-end console race. We don’t have any pricing for the roughly 6 x 6-inch Steam Machine yet, but based on the PC specs alone and what Valve has been suggesting, the console should have just under the power of a PS5 Pro and cost as much as a similarly specced PC. The Steam Machine is launching in “early 2026,” so expect to hear a lot more about it in just a few months.

Sony Playstation 27 Inch Gaming Monitor 3
© Sony Interactive Entertainment

Previewed for launch next year, the PlayStation Gaming Monitor is a 27-inch IPS LCD display with 1440p resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. It works with PS5 (though the console only maxes out at 120Hz) and comes with a charging hook to keep a DualSense controller juiced up and ready all the time. At first, it seems weird for Sony to make a PlayStation-branded gaming monitor, but when you consider all of the other PlayStation-branded hardware that’s coming next year, too (Pulse Elevate portable desktop speakers and FlexStrike fight stick), then you start to see that Sony is building up an ecosystem beyond its home console.

See Playstation at Amazon

Anbernic Rg Ds 1
© Anbernic

Anbernic is a company that has found its own niche, filling in the void with handhelds that Nintendo won’t.  Its latest handheld is, of course, one for emulating DS games (legal ones that you own). The Anbernic RG DS looks almost identical to a Nintendo DS Lite, save for the two joysticks and larger dual screens. We can’t vouch for what performance is like emulating DS games, but if you’ve been dying to do so, this might be the closest thing.

EC Zero Akm
© Shanling

In case you missed the memo, CD players are so back. Never heard of Shanling? Neither have we. Judging from the specs, this bad boy isn’t your grandpa’s Sony, Aiwa, or Panasonic. Yes, it plays CDs, but the EC Zero AKM also supports modern amenities like wireless audio (so you can plug in a pair of AirPods or connect it to a wireless speaker), two audio jacks (3.5mm and 4.4mm), a rechargeable battery, and a real-time CD-ripping feature. It’s pricey, but it seems to do it all.

See Shanling EC Zero AKM at Amazon

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Parents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026">I tried Siri AI, and so far it actually worksParents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.Gemini sends its sympathies. The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from SiriThis iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.Photography by Allison Johnson / The VergeFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Allison JohnsonCloseAllison JohnsonPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Allison JohnsonAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIAppleCloseApplePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppleHands-onCloseHands-onPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Hands-onReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechWWDC 2026CloseWWDC 2026Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All WWDC 2026#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026

onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026">I tried Siri AI, and so far it actually works

Parents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026
Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers.

The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus">Google just fired a warning shot in the AI subscription price wars | TechCrunch Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers. The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from .99 to .99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes. Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days. Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough. It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits. The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time. The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’” He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves. “My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.” It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing. That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly .60 a month — a fraction of its standard Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub- AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users. Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market. Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus

said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus">Google just fired a warning shot in the AI subscription price wars | TechCrunch

Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers.

The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus
BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible.

Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game.

Indian Gamers Have Grown Up

BGMI’s Biggest Evolution Isn’t a New Mode, It’s the Players Building It It’s already been five years since BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible. Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game. Indian Gamers Have Grown Up I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun. When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years. According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.” That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention. BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough. Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.” How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy. I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves. One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said. Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game. A More Social Gaming Experience More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches. The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.” The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years. The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said. #BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI

I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun.

When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years.

According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.”

That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention.

BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now

BGIS Grand Finals trophy photo

One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough.

Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.”

How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates

image for BGMI 4.4 update

One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy.

I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves.

One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said.

Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game.

A More Social Gaming Experience

BGMI CSK collaboration

More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches.

The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.”

The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years.

The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said.

#BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI">BGMI’s Biggest Evolution Isn’t a New Mode, It’s the Players Building It It’s already been five years since BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible. Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game. Indian Gamers Have Grown Up I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun. When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years. According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.” That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention. BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough. Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.” How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy. I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves. One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said. Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game. A More Social Gaming Experience More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches. The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.” The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years. The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said. #BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI

came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible.

Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game.

Indian Gamers Have Grown Up

BGMI’s Biggest Evolution Isn’t a New Mode, It’s the Players Building It It’s already been five years since BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible. Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game. Indian Gamers Have Grown Up I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun. When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years. According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.” That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention. BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough. Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.” How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy. I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves. One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said. Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game. A More Social Gaming Experience More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches. The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.” The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years. The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said. #BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI

I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun.

When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years.

According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.”

That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention.

BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now

BGIS Grand Finals trophy photo

One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough.

Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.”

How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates

image for BGMI 4.4 update

One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy.

I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves.

One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said.

Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game.

A More Social Gaming Experience

BGMI CSK collaboration

More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches.

The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.”

The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years.

The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said.

#BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI">BGMI’s Biggest Evolution Isn’t a New Mode, It’s the Players Building It

It’s already been five years since BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible.

Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game.

Indian Gamers Have Grown Up

BGMI’s Biggest Evolution Isn’t a New Mode, It’s the Players Building It It’s already been five years since BGMI came to the Indian market. And if you’ve been playing for long, chances are you remember a very different gaming landscape. Gaming creators were rare, eSports was still finding its footing, and convincing someone that gaming could be a career was almost impossible. Fast forward to 2026, and things look very different. BGMI has moved from just being a fun pastime to leading the Indian gaming sector, with thriving eSports and collaborations with real-world brands that were once impossible. Speaking to Fossbytes, Srinjoy Das, Director – Marketing & BGMI Product Management at KRAFTON India, explained how both BGMI and the Indian gaming audience have evolved over the years, and why the company increasingly sees BGMI as more than just a battle royale game. Indian Gamers Have Grown Up I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun. When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years. According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.” That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention. BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough. Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.” How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy. I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves. One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said. Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game. A More Social Gaming Experience More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches. The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.” The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years. The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said. #BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI

I’d be the first to admit that I downloaded PUBG Mobile on the very first day. It was a quiet afternoon, and I was bored, scrolling through my phone, when I saw it launch in India. I got my friends to download it, too. We used to play together, sitting in the same room for hours before our parents called us back. It’s been many years since that, and we’ve all grown up, pursuing careers in different parts of the world. Still, there’s one way we all keep in touch, and that’s BGMI. It’s the place we hang out virtually, turning the experience from simply grinding through a game into a way to stay in touch with friends while having fun.

When asked what had changed more over the years, the game or the audience, Das had a simple answer: both. Gaming is one of the fastest-moving forms of entertainment today. Unlike movies or TV shows, which evolve gradually, games and the communities around them can change dramatically in just a few years.

According to Das, one of the biggest shifts has been the seriousness with which people now take gaming. He pointed to KRAFTON’s BGMI Career Mode campaign as an example, saying the response showed that many players now see gaming as more than just a hobby. “People are seriously thinking about a career in gaming now,” Das said. “They think gaming gives them real-world skills, and it’s not just about becoming a streamer or an esports player anymore.”

That broader acceptance is something he believes has transformed the industry. Gaming is no longer something people do only in their spare time. Instead, it has become a mainstream form of entertainment that competes directly with movies, OTT platforms, and social media for people’s attention.

BGMI Is Bigger Than Gaming Creators Now

BGIS Grand Finals trophy photo

One of the more interesting changes over the last few years has been the creator ecosystem surrounding BGMI. When the game first exploded in India, gaming YouTubers were the primary way new players discovered the game. Today, however, KRAFTON’s strategy has expanded far beyond traditional gaming creators. According to Das, India boasts one of the largest gaming creator ecosystems in the world for a single title. But he believes the industry has now reached an inflection point where relying solely on gaming creators is no longer enough.

Over the last few months, BGMI has worked with creators like Bhuvan Bam and other mainstream internet personalities. The company is also preparing collaborations with CarryMinati, showing how the game’s reach now extends well beyond the gaming audience. “We’re going beyond gaming-focused influencers,” Das explained. “We’re seeing what else lies beyond that world.”

How KRAFTON Decides What Goes Into New BGMI Updates

image for BGMI 4.4 update

One of the more interesting aspects of BGMI today is its updates. Every few months, a new mode introduces a new map to discover, along with special abilities that take time to master. It’s one of the biggest reasons my friends and I still log in to the game, as it’s more fun than just running around a field trying to find an enemy.

I asked Das how the team comes up with these, and he said player feedback remains at the center of the update process. The recently released BGMI 4.4 update introduced a Greek and Roman mythology-inspired theme, complete with floating islands, special powers, and new gameplay mechanics. While these large thematic updates have become a regular part of BGMI, KRAFTON says the goal is always to create new ways for players to prove themselves.

One example is the new Glory Battle system. Instead of allowing everyone access to the same rewards, only top-performing teams can participate in certain encounters and unlock some of the most valuable rewards. According to Das, this creates a stronger sense of achievement and rewards skilled gameplay. “Players repeatedly tell us they like it when we make these changes because it gives them a chance to prove themselves,” he said.

Along with these updates, another trend that’s become more common in BGMI is brand collaborations, such as those with Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, and Ford. While many players may view these collaborations as simple cosmetic additions, Das says the reality is far more detailed. According to him, partner brands are involved in nearly every stage of development. Everything from a vehicle’s appearance to how it sounds and handles is carefully reviewed. Using Royal Enfield as an example, Das told us that both teams spent considerable time perfecting the exact sound the motorcycle makes when players start it up in-game.

A More Social Gaming Experience

BGMI CSK collaboration

More than ever, BGMI feels like a social platform rather than just a game. According to Das, KRAFTON is actively designing for that behavior. Over the years, BGMI has evolved from a simple lobby into a much broader social experience. Features like the Hub, Collection Hall, Home Ground, and the newly introduced Flash Crew system are all designed to encourage players to spend time together outside of matches.

The Hub allows players to interact while waiting for games. Collection Hall lets users showcase their collections to friends. Home Ground gives players the ability to build their own spaces and host gatherings. Flash Crew takes that idea even further by allowing players to create multiple friend groups around different interests and activities. “It’s not just your closest friends anymore,” Das explained. “You can have different types of friends for different circumstances.”

The company is also focusing more on player-generated content. Das said that players have already created nearly 30,000 custom maps using BGMI’s creation tools. That’s a massive leap from the handful of official maps that existed during the game’s early years.

The company now wants to invest even more heavily in that ecosystem. Future tools could allow players to create everything from zombie survival experiences and fighter jet battles to parkour challenges and uniquely Indian environments. “We’re seeing players who don’t just want to play content anymore. They want to create it,” Das said.

#BGMIs #Biggest #Evolution #Isnt #Mode #Players #BuildingBGMI

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