What happened
KRAFTON India rebranded BGMI Lite as BGMI Air on 15 October 2026 after Android pre-registrations crossed 10 million.
Why it matters
Budget-phone players get a first install near 1 GB instead of up to 8 GB, and BGMI veterans keep their accounts with no transfer.
Remember this
BGMI Air: 1 GB install, 10 million pre-registrations.
What happens next
KRAFTON India has not named an exact launch date, only later in 2026. An open beta is coming shortly so the studio can gather player feedback, with updates tracked on the official BGMI Air Instagram account.
- Open beta planned shortly to collect player feedback
- Full India launch targeted for later in 2026
- No iOS or PC pre-registration track announced
- Existing BGMI profiles stay valid with no transfer step
More context & who is affected
KRAFTON India has dropped the BGMI Lite name and rebranded the coming lightweight battle royale as BGMI Air. The change was announced on 15 October in Bengaluru; the studio insists the gameplay, format and launch window stay intact.
Android pre-registrations on Google Play have now crossed 10 million after sign-ups opened on 25 August. The first install runs close to 1 GB with no forced packages before the opening match, compared with up to 8 GB for the standard title.
That matters on budget devices, where storage is still the sharpest constraint. A wider open beta is due shortly, and KRAFTON has held the exact release date for later in 2026.
- Pre-registrations
- 10M+ Android sign-ups on Google Play opened 25 August 2026 and have now crossed 10 million.MoneycontrolGadgets360
- Initial install size
- ~1 GB BGMI Air starts at about 1 GB with no forced packages before the first match, versus up to 8 GB for standard BGMI.Gadgets360
- BGMI downloads in India
- 260M+ The parent title has crossed 260 million downloads in India per KRAFTON; other outlets cite 10 crore.Moneycontrol
Mobile Gamers
A roughly 1 GB first install with no forced pre-match packages lowers the storage and data bar for budget Android phones.
Gaming Press
KRAFTON tests whether a lighter second title can push BGMI past the 260 million downloads already banked in India.
Reporting fromMoneycontrol ↗Gadgets360 ↗
Sources & verification2 sources · 4 claims
These are the records behind this briefing. Linked reporting is not the same as independent confirmation.
- MoneycontrolReporting
BGMI LITE renamed to BGMI Air; game crosses 10 million pre-registrations ahead of India launch ↗
Published Oct 15, 2026 · Accessed Oct 15, 2026 - Gadgets360ReportingPublished Oct 15, 2026 · Accessed Oct 15, 2026
Claims and linked sources
KRAFTON India renamed BGMI Lite to BGMI Air on 15 October 2026, keeping gameplay scope and the launch window unchanged.
BGMI Air crossed 10 million Android pre-registrations in India after sign-ups opened on 25 August 2026 through Google Play.
The initial download is around 1 GB with no forced packages before the first match, versus up to 8 GB for the standard BGMI build.
BGMI has banked over 260 million downloads in India and BGMI Air ships as a separate app, so players need no profile transfer.