Game developers often take an interest in Diwali by transforming their games in a number of ways.
From BGMI’s glowing Stepwell to Pikachu in a saree, even mobile games capture India’s festival of lights in magical ways.
Here are 7 times Diwali has been celebrated in the mobile gaming world over the years:
The hit game from Krafton lit up 2023 with the ‘Diwali Delights Exchange Corner’, letting players collect “Chakri” tokens that you could then swap to get stuff like Diwali-themed outfits, emotes, and gun skins. The lobby itself became a bazaar of sorts, reflecting the developers’ festive spirit.
Stepwell, the India-inspired latest location in the BGMI 4.0 update, lets players trigger Diwali fireworks from October 18-24—even mid-battle. This adds a sweet, cultural touch to what is otherwise a battlezone.
Garena has chosen to go big with its Diwali celebrations in ‘Free Fire’ this year, with a Diwali carnival featuring special missions, unique animations, and the ‘Tu Subah Hai’ music video.
Everyone’s favourite endless runner is full of the festive spirit. ‘Subway Surfers’ (India) often goes desi every Diwali, with Indian places and jazz featuring in the setting. This is in addition to decorated trains and the runner crew sporting kurtas and sarees.
COD: Mobile’s ‘Festival Ops’, which lets players unlock Diwali-themed operator outfits and glowing weapon skins, has become quite the fan-favourite since 2022, showing that even good old guns can be given the festive treatment.
Every mobile gamer will remember 2024 as the year Niantic gave ‘Pokemon GO’ fans Pikachu in a saree. This was accompanied by extended incense bonuses and an in-person event in Bengaluru as well, which was very well received by Pokemon Trainers in India.
Gameloft turned up the (head)lights in 2024 with an Asphalt-worthy Diwali racing challenge that sent players tearing through the Himalayas in the Lamborghini Invencible. Neon-lit roads and glowing cityscapes added to the high-octane festive spirit.
