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DC Comics at Theme Parks Has Had a Bizarre History but ‘Superman’ Could Change That

DC Comics at Theme Parks Has Had a Bizarre History but ‘Superman’ Could Change That

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There’s nostalgia for the Batman movie era at Six Flags as we head toward a new DC Studios era with Superman, On a recent invited visit to Magic Mountain to check out DC Heroes and Villains Fest, I found myself reminiscing fondly about the stunt shows from the ’90s.

Both Batman Forever and Batman & Robin were draws as WB movie-inspired attractions for folks who didn’t want to only do roller coasters. The most vivid memory I have is Batman swinging into action and riding in the Batmobile for the explosive, stunt-heavy Magic Mountain version of the show. The Caped Crusader teamed up with Robin and Batgirl against Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy for super abridged versions of the film’s plot against perfectly dilapidated Gotham sets.

At Astroworld in Texas, an early version of the show took place in a water arena where the iconic DC duo took on the Riddler and Two-Face in a high-octane show with jet skis and a helicopter.

For a while, DC Entertainment seemed invested in being a worthy competitor to the outdoor staged experiences presented at Universal Studios Hollywood or even The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Walt Disney World. But then, more and more, all the coaster-centric parks began to only license DC iconography to slip on steel coasters, including Batman: The Ride, Riddler’s Revenge, and Superman: The Ride.

With little to no effort on theming, investment in places where you could immerse yourself in the world of these characters was nowhere to be found for years. Sure, there would be some slight attempts, like a meet and greet here or there timed to ride openings, but gone was the value placed in thematic storytelling to draw repeat visits. Only the memories and the Batmobile from the long-gone stunt shows remain for photo ops.

During Christopher Nolan’s Batman era, the thing that most reinvigorated DC and Warner Bros.’ interest in participatory entertainment was an ARG marketing campaign. The level of immersion with Animal Repair Shop’s The Dark Knight: Why So Serious? experience made the world a theme park. Fans who wanted to learn more about the second Nolan film were able to participate in flash Joker Mobs at places like San Diego Comic-Con or follow clues in other major cities to shopping centers or college campuses to collect artifacts from the yet-to-be-released film. Even in the digital world, the internet landscape was changed as Batman fans unlocked the first look at Heath Ledger’s Joker. It was a game changer and one that at least some major theme parks sought to bring into their offerings, except seemingly Six Flags.

In 2010 things changed in theme parks when Universal Studios opened the first major themed land based on a film franchise with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The irony being, of course, that Warner Bros. partnered with a competing theme park for this—all while having DC Comics just be stickers to slap on any given coaster. Wizarding World lit a fire that would go on to motivate the landscape to evolve quickly from just having attractions or shows touting a major IP. Now, the blueprint was set to make whole areas that take you into the world of your favorite fandom, paving the way for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Avengers Campus at Disney Parks and, most recently, Universal’s own Epic Universe.

Warner Bros. has had an international arm that’s put familiar properties in various theme parks around the world, notably in Spain and Australia with Warner Bros. Movie World parks. These were essentially original regional parks in major metropolitan cities that partnered with WB to rebrand into Movie World Parks. They very often get better production value for their properties with DC Comics, The Wizard of Oz, and The Looney Tunes at their amusement parks, while we get paint refreshes on existing coasters.

Before you surmise that “Wow, DC fans really got the short end here,” you might be surprised to learn that there is a fully realized DC Universe land: Warner Bros. World on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

The first from-the-ground-up WB theme park, it opened in 2018 and predates Galaxy’s Edge with multiple themed lands designed by the Thinkwell Group, a hub of park and immersive designers. Here you’ll find Gotham and Metropolis as two separate areas with attractions inspired by the worlds of Batman and Superman. There are meet and greets with multiple characters throughout, from heroes to villains; even the Looney Tunes get fully decked out in DC Comics gear too. The ads for this park are always making us feel like we’re truly missing out. The most we got around that time of its opening was a single dark ride in the form of Six Flags’ Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.

Which brings us to the DCEU phase, in which Six Flags got some costume redesigns inspired by the New 52 on select DC characters with limited engagements on appearances throughout the country. The Warner Bros. Studios tour in Burbank expanded to feature interactive displays with costumes from the Snyderverse films and tour set stops.

My favorite experience of this era was when the studio decided to try its hand at hosting its own Halloween after-dark ticketed event. With Horror Made Here, scary walk-throughs based on franchises like The Conjuring and Friday the 13th were joined by an Arkham Asylum maze where the Joker and Harley turned guests into inmates. It was scary and delightfully demented with elements of immersive storytelling and escape room antics. Alas, Horror Made Here was only around for one year; every year we hope it comes back. As the DCEU neared its end, a new Wonder Woman coaster opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain with little fanfare. By that point, fans’ relationship with the brand had perhaps been pulled in too many directions.

© Gaylord Texan

As we enter DC Studios’ next chapter with the release of James Gunn’s Superman, its heroes and villains are being scattered throughout various summer offerings. The most exciting-sounding one is being run in collaboration with the Gaylord Hotels, which is transforming a number of its resorts with a “DC Summer” theme for the 2025 season. The offerings include superhero training with the Justice League, meet and greets, nighttime spectaculars, themed meals like a Harley and Joker buffet, a Riddler-themed immersive scavenger hunt, and a secret villains bar at select locations. There’s even an expansive comic-book-come-to-life illuminated walk-through experience: Universe of Light at the Gaylord Texan, with heroic and splash-page-themed art installations for the whole family to enjoy.

Meanwhile, as Six Flags undergoes its current phase of new ownership through Cedar Fair, there’s been a resurgence of the characters at select locations, including Magic Mountain in California. For the summer, the West Coast park has “DC Heroes and Villains Fest,” featuring a small parade cavalcade of characters from DC Comics and a cluster of themed food booths. With a new stage show that’s more of a dance party than a stunt spectacular on the level of what was there in the ’90s. There are some signs of progress with seeing how kids excitedly react to seeing Superman and his super friends take on Lex Luthor and the Joker which makes it at least worth the while. But on the whole, it’s just a whole bunch of coaster-centric activities that are not as accessible as other places.

Robin V Catwoman
© io9 Gizmodo

It still just feels like a missed opportunity to start anew alongside DC Studios. The costumes still harken to the New 52, aiming to pull in fans with the recognizable iconography alone. On a recent visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain, we found the food was good but definitely still felt lacking in regard to theming, though that just might be because there were only three booths with a few options. Overall, it isn’t too different from some of the recent things Six Flags has been doing anyway for the summer season around the country. It’s just too all over the place to feel a part of what’s next.

The effort at the parks has room to evolve as Superman arrives. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour feels more connected to what’s to come: the DC area of the walkthrough for the tour includes a celebration of past projects while shifting focus to the now. There are costumes from Matt Reeves’ The Batman on display right out of the Batcave, which feels and sounds like it with incredible screens that transport you there with a touch of that Nolan feel. And James Gunn’s mark is starting to take hold; you exit with a Daily Planet desk illuminating the new tone of the DC Studios era. The costumes for Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and the Superman suit fill the place with excitement against a Fortress of Solitude display.

Even the WB store, which is a modern version of the ones from the mall in the ’90s, got redone with Metropolis set pieces to admire while you shop, complete with a Krypto the dog plush fountain. Somehow that evoked more theme park vibes than anything else we’ve experienced so far in the world of DC comics this year. While we see places like WB World Abu Dhabi soar, we hope that stateside we get more invested in incorporating everything this massive fandom is missing out on. With the arrival of more DC Studios here, let’s hope their worlds immerse ours and we can go up, up, and away too.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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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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