Krafton India Confirms BGMI Air Name Change
Krafton India has officially renamed its lightweight battle royale game from BGMI Lite to BGMI Air. The rebranding 2026, comes as preregistrations for the title surpass 10 million.
Krafton India has officially renamed BGMI Lite to BGMI Air, confirming the update via its verified Instagram account on October 15, 2026. The developer stated the new name marks a key development for the anticipated lightweight version of Battlegrounds Mobile India, which has already crossed 10 million preregistrations.
In its post, Krafton India said: "BGMI LITE is now BGMI Air. Lighter name, same heavy action." The accompanying artwork showed the old BGMI Lite icon transforming into the new BGMI Air icon, featuring the same helmeted character in front of the Indian tricolour. This follows the global renaming of PUBG Mobile Light to PUBG Mobile Flash in September 2026, though Krafton India chose the name 'Air' instead of 'Flash' for the Indian market.
What stays the same
Despite the name change, BGMI Air retains cross-play with BGMI, allows existing accounts to work without transfer, and maintains the same lightweight accessibility goal. The biggest confirmed feature is cross-play between BGMI and BGMI Air players. Existing BGMI accounts will work in BGMI Air without requiring an ID transfer, meaning players can access the lighter version separately without moving their existing profile. The name change does not alter the core idea of offering a more accessible version of the popular battle royale game.
What we know about the build
BGMI Air has an initial download size of approximately 1 GB, with promotional material listing minimum hardware requirements. Krafton has not disclosed complete storage requirements or detailed performance specifications, nor has it explained exactly what technical adjustments make BGMI Air lighter.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial Download Size | ~1 GB |
| Minimum RAM | 1.5GB |
| Minimum GPU | Adreno 306 |
It remains unclear whether changes affect visuals, gameplay features, or other aspects. The 1 GB figure refers to the initial download, not the total space required after installation.
Preregistrations and launch outlook
BGMI Air has surpassed 10 million preregistrations since opening on August 25, 2026. Krafton India first announced the game, then called BGMI Lite, on August 16, 2026, promising a launch by the end of the year. The company's last official word reaffirms a release by the end of 2026, with plans to introduce an open beta ahead of launch.
Reports have pointed to a possible November 2026 launch, but these remain unconfirmed. No official launch date, pre-download announcement, or updated Play Store listing had been made at the time of the rebranding.
What players should know now
Existing preregistrations on Google Play are expected to carry over to BGMI Air, but users are advised to wait for an official note before considering re-registration. The Instagram account still uses the handle @bgmi_lite.official, with an expectation it will change once Krafton updates its Play Store listing and website.
Users are warned to be cautious of links promising a 'BGMI Air APK' as the game is not yet released. Any download offered outside the official Google Play channel is not from Krafton. As of the report, only the name had changed. Updates will be shared through the official BGMI Air Instagram page and other official channels.
