This question is tricky! It depends on what you mean by "first." Both Free Fire and PUBG are battle royale games, but they were released at different times and have different origins.
Here's a breakdown to understand which came first, depending on your perspective:
By Release Date:
- PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) was released first. It came out in March 2017 as an early access game for PC.
- Free Fire was released in September 2017 for Android and iOS.
So, based on release date, PUBG was released first.
By Concept:
- PUBG was inspired by the 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale, which featured a similar concept of a last-man-standing battle.
- Free Fire was also inspired by battle royale games, but it focused on mobile gameplay and a more cartoonish style.
So, while PUBG was released first, the battle royale concept existed before both games.
By Popularity:
- PUBG was initially more popular, becoming a global phenomenon and dominating the battle royale genre.
- Free Fire quickly gained popularity, particularly in Southeast Asia and Latin America, becoming one of the most popular mobile games in the world.
Therefore, PUBG was more popular initially, but Free Fire surpassed it in terms of mobile player base.
Conclusion:
The answer to "Who is first: Free Fire or PUBG?" depends on your definition of "first." PUBG was released first, but Free Fire was more popular on mobile. Both games have contributed to the popularity of the battle royale genre, and their impact continues to be felt today.
