PUBG loses battle for most downloaded game of 2019

PUBG has lost the crown for being the most downloaded mobile game after being knocked out by a 2 year old game in the battle for supremacy.

Garena’s battle royale Free Fire had a tremendous year with major esports tournaments and a rising player base. The game has surpassed all competition to become the most downloaded mobile game of 2019 across iOS and Android, according to a report.

The report puts the 50-player battle royale ahead of PUBG Mobile, which came in second place for the most downloads. Call of Duty: Mobile, which was released in October, managed to make it to 10th place. The game saw a huge release, picking up 146 million downloads in October alone.

Free Fire’s low system requirements make it extremely accessible. It’s playable in high graphics and a decent FPS even on low-end phones. The game is also fast-paced, with each match lasting just 10 minutes. A single game in PUBG Mobile, on the other hand, can take over 30 minutes on maps like Erangel and Miramar.

This was a big year for Free Fire. The game jumped into esports with its first international competition, the Free Fire World Cup, held in April. It shattered viewership records, peaking at over one million viewers.

Free Fire looks set to have another fantastic year in 2020. With Tencent announcing the PUBG Mobile World League, fans will be excited to see what Garena has planned for 2020 as well.