Free Fire Wins Best Use of IP or Licence at Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026
Garena Free Fire has added another major achievement to its growing list of accolades after winning the ‘Best Use of IP or Licence’ award at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026.
The award recognises Free Fire’s highly successful NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Chapter 2: Ninja War collaboration, which went beyond simply adding popular anime characters and items to the mobile battle royale. Instead, Garena created an experience that combined gameplay, community activities and esports while staying closely connected to the world of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN.
The ninth edition of the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards was held during gamescom week in Cologne, Germany, bringing together some of the biggest names in the global mobile gaming industry.
Bringing NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Into Free Fire
One of the biggest strengths of the collaboration was the way NARUTO SHIPPUDEN elements were integrated directly into Free Fire’s gameplay.
Players were able to experience iconic elements from the anime, including powerful jutsu and rogue ninja abilities, while exploring a transformed version of Hidden Leaf Village within the Free Fire map.
For NARUTO fans, these details helped make the collaboration feel more than just a promotional crossover. Familiar locations, abilities and collectibles were incorporated into the game while maintaining the fast-paced battle royale experience that Free Fire players already know.
This approach reflects Garena’s focus on making licensed collaborations feel authentic to both the original intellectual property and the Free Fire universe.
READ : Free Fire x Naruto Shippuden Chapter 2: Ninja War Brings Epic Showdown to Bermuda
Taking the Collaboration Beyond the Game
The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration also expanded outside the digital world through a series of community activations and esports events across Asia and the Americas.
One of the campaign’s biggest highlights was Ninja Clash All Stars, a two-day tournament held in Bangkok that brought together top Free Fire players and content creators from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil and Mexico.
The event was designed around the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN theme, with details incorporated throughout the venue. Even the championship trophy took inspiration from iconic elements of the anime, including kunai and scrolls.
More than 10 interactive themed booths were also available for visitors, creating an experience that combined competitive gaming with NARUTO SHIPPUDEN-inspired activities.
The event attracted nearly 5,000 visitors and generated more than 247 million video views, while also trending on YouTube Gaming across six regions.
Strong Engagement From Free Fire Fans
The collaboration’s impact was not limited to Bangkok.
Garena also organised locally tailored Free Fire x NARUTO SHIPPUDEN activities in countries including Peru, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Taiwan, allowing local communities to participate in the crossover in their own markets.
Social media engagement further demonstrated the popularity of the collaboration.
On TikTok alone, Free Fire × NARUTO SHIPPUDEN content generated more than 3 billion views. Fans also contributed to the campaign by creating their own cosplay, fan art, gameplay videos and memes.
This level of user-generated content shows how a well-executed game collaboration can encourage fans to become part of the campaign rather than simply consume it.
A Major Recognition for Garena
Commenting on the award, Harold Teo, Free Fire Global Producer at Garena, said the company was honoured by the recognition and grateful to players, fans and partners who supported the collaboration.
According to Teo, Garena’s approach to collaborations begins with understanding what makes each intellectual property special before designing experiences that feel natural within Free Fire while remaining authentic to the original IP.
That philosophy appears to have played an important role in the success of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration.
Rather than relying solely on character skins or collectibles, Garena expanded the partnership across gameplay, esports, physical events and social media, giving players multiple ways to engage with the anime universe.
Looking Ahead to Free Fire’s 10th Anniversary
The award comes at an interesting time for Free Fire, with the game preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2027.
With more than 100 million daily active users worldwide, Free Fire has established itself as one of the biggest mobile-first battle royale titles globally.
The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration demonstrates how Garena continues to use major entertainment franchises to create new experiences for its massive player community.
As Free Fire approaches its 10th anniversary, fans can expect the game’s collaborations and community activities to remain an important part of its evolution.
For now, the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026 recognition is another strong milestone for Garena and Free Fire — and a clear indication that the right combination of gaming, anime, esports and community engagement can turn an IP collaboration into something much bigger than a simple in-game crossover.
Free Fire can be downloaded on both the App Store and Google Play.
Keywords :
- Free Fire Mobile Games Awards 2026
- Free Fire NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
- Free Fire x NARUTO collaboration
- Garena Free Fire Malaysia
- Free Fire NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Chapter 2
- Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026
- Free Fire battle royale
- NARUTO SHIPPUDEN collaboration
- Free Fire esports
- Free Fire latest news 2026
