6 days ago
BGMI Adds Diwali Bazaar, India-Made Character Kiaraa
Krafton is giving its game BGMI a Diwali celebration.
Starting October 8, players can visit a festive bazaar and meet Kiaraa, a character created by the team in India.
Squads can take on her in a boss battle and try other activities.
Some festive items can be bought, but players can also take part in free activities and earn rewards by playing.
The prize path runs from October 22 to November 15 and gives players game items, not cash.
Krafton says its playtime and spending safeguards will stay in place.
BGMI is a battle royale game where up to 100 players compete to be the last one standing.
Krafton’s BGMI Diwali update launches October 8, featuring the new India-created character Kiaraa.
The update adds a Diwali-themed bazaar on Erangel, Kiaraa’s boss battle, Arena challenges and daily rewards.
A 20-level prize path runs from October 22 to November 15, with in-game rewards and no real-world payout.
The Kiaraa Nakshatra collection includes purchasable outfits, a glider, weapon skin, buggy, emote and machete.
Krafton says free activities remain available and its daily playtime pauses and spending limits for flagged minors remain in place.
- Who
- Krafton and its BGMI team in India; BGMI players.
- What
- A Diwali-themed game update introducing Kiaraa, a bazaar, activities, purchasable items and a prize path.
- Where
- In BGMI, including a Diwali-themed point of interest on Erangel.
- When
- The update goes live October 8; the prize path runs October 22 to November 15. The article does not specify the year for these dates.
- Why
- Krafton says the update puts the festival into gameplay for Indian players.
Krafton’s position
Industry and consumer context
Festive content and spending
Krafton’s position
Krafton says players can experience the festival without spending: the bazaar, Kiaraa’s Test and other activities are free, while some collection items are purchasable.
Industry and consumer context
The update arrives amid a market in which a 2025 Lightbox report says more than 75% of Indian gamers spend money on in-app purchases; the article does not present a direct opposing response to Krafton’s approach.
Indian-focused game design
Krafton’s position
Krafton says the update makes Diwali something players do within gameplay and centers on an India-created character and setting.
Industry and consumer context
Alpha Zegus founder Rohit Agarwal praises the Indian-first approach, while examples from Free Fire Max and Battle Stars show other games have also incorporated Diwali themes.
Key facts
- Game
- Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), a multiplayer battle royale game.
- Update launch
- October 8; year not specified in the article.
- New character
- Kiaraa, conceived, designed and built by BGMI’s team in India.
- Prize path
- 20 levels, running October 22 to November 15; rewards are in-game content, with no real-world payout.
- Free activities
- The bazaar, Kiaraa’s Test, Arena challenges, Exchange Centre and daily login rewards are available without spending, according to Krafton.
- Purchasable collection
- Includes the Nakshatra Set, Divine Peacock Glider, Divine Radiance SCAR-L, Divine Chariot Buggy, Arrow Rain Emote and Divine Edge Machete.
- Safeguards
- Krafton says playtime pauses after six hours in a day and spending is capped for players flagged as minors.
- Reported game downloads
- BGMI has surpassed 270 million downloads in India, according to the article.
Quotes
Rohit Agarwal
Founder and director of Alpha Zegus, a marketing agency
“Krafton India’s Kiaraa is a strong example… it shows a publisher building festive content around Indian players first, rather than borrowing from licensed franchises or celebrity tie-ins.”
financialexpress.com
“A player who spends nothing this Diwali still gets the festival.”
financialexpress.com





