The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is suing Free Fire after a 13-year-old died by suicide after losing money in the game, according to a report by NDTV.
The boy allegedly “lost” about Rs. 40,000 (about $538) in Free Fire, according to the local police. While the mobile battle royale game is free to play, there are several ways for players to acquire skins, cosmetics, and other items through microtransactions.
The state’s home minister Narottam Mishra said these “addictive games” are “disorientating the young generation” and “playing with their lives.”
A case has been registered against the company’s developers, Garena, under section 305 of the Indian Penal Code. This section deals with the abetment of suicide of minors.
Garena hasn’t publicly commented on the situation yet.
Even as the Indian state takes Free Fire’s developer to court, the scenario is quite different in the country’s capital, Delhi. The deputy chief minister of the Indian capital state, Manish Sisodia, unveiled Delhi Dukes in a closed event recently as a team that will compete in Free Fire at the Esports Premier League (ESPL), according to Talk Esport. The ESPL is a country-wide franchise-based esports league with a prize pool of Rs. 2,500,000 (about $33,000).
