Free Fire OB52 Update Full Patch Notes, New Features & Everything That Changed
The Free Fire OB52 update was released worldwide on January 14, 2026, and it is one of the biggest updates in recent years. This is not a small patch it completely changes gameplay, characters, weapons, and even the number of players in Battle Royale.
If you are confused about what changed, what became stronger or weaker, and what you should use in ranked this guide explains everything.
What Is the OB52 Update?
“OB” means Open Beta. It is the name Free Fire uses for big updates.
Before the official release, selected players tested OB52 in the Advance Server from December 25, 2025 to January 9, 2026. They reported bugs and gave feedback. After testing, the final version was released globally on January 14.
This was a major update, so players had to download it fully from the Play Store or App Store.
✔ Works on both Free Fire and Free Fire MAX
✔ Same features in both versions
🔥 Quick List of All OB52 Changes
- Jujutsu Kaisen event (Jan 14 – Feb 13, 2026)
- New character Morse
- Battle Royale now has 100 players (previously 50)
- Bermuda map updated (new High School at Peak)
- Neon City added with teleport portals
- Rally Beacon added (teammates can teleport to you)
- Ultra Airdrop added (very powerful gear)
- Arsenal changes (breakable glass + unlimited ammo inside)
- Vehicle boost button added
- Squad auto-revive improved
- Mushroom pickups give 200 FF Coins
- Some weapons buffed, some nerfed
- Some characters buffed and nerfed
- Age verification is now required
Jujutsu Kaisen Collaboration (Jujutsu Awakening Event)
Free Fire partnered with Jujutsu Kaisen and added special content from the anime.
This event ran from January 14 to February 13, 2026.
What Is Cursed Energy?
Cursed Energy is a new power system added during the event.
You can collect it by:
- Walking near energy piles
- Eliminating enemies
- Buying from vending machines
When you collect enough, you can use special anime abilities.
Example Ability:
Divergent Fist (Yuji Itadori)
- Costs: 100 Cursed Energy
- Dash forward and hit enemy
- First hit: 30 damage
- Second hit: 30 damage
- Very strong in close fights
Other abilities like Hollow Purple and Unlimited Void were also available.
Pro Tip:
Collect Cursed Energy early in the match. It gives you strong burst damage in final zones.
After February 13, all Cursed Energy powers were removed but cosmetics stayed.
New Character in OB52 — Morse (Also Known as Mors)
Morse is OB52’s brand new character and he introduces a pure stealth playstyle to Free Fire that had not existed before this update. His active skill is called Stealth Mode.
| Morse Skill Stat | Value |
| Invisible range | Hard to detect beyond 16 meters |
| Enemy detection during stealth | Blocked — enemies cannot scan or detect you |
| Movement speed bonus | +20% while stealthed |
| Aim assist range | Activates when within 4 meters of an enemy |
| Max skill duration | 15 seconds |
| Firing while stealthed | Not possible — must exit stealth to fire |
| Exit delay | 1 second after deactivating before you can shoot |
| Cooldown | 45 seconds |
Morse works best as a flanking character. The 20% speed boost during stealth lets you circle squads quickly, and the aim assist that kicks in at 4 meters means you get a targeting advantage the moment you break stealth up close. Pair Morse with an MP40 or Vector for devastating close-range burst after exiting stealth, or use him purely for safe zone rotations in late game.
With the Tatsuya nerf in this same update reducing his reset window, Morse fills the aggressive off-angle role better than almost any other character in the current OB52 meta.
OB52 Weapon Changes — Buffs, Nerfs, and Reworks
| Weapon | Change Type | Exact Change |
| M249 / M249-X | Buff | Rate of Fire +5%, Armor Penetration +5% |
| Thompson / Thompson-X | Buff | Rate of Fire +5% |
| VSS | Buff | Armor Penetration +10%, Accuracy +5% |
| M590 Shotgun | Rework | Chip damage removed. Short-range body damage raised from 133 to 145. Mid-to-long range damage reduced |
| Heal Pistol | Adjustment | Now auto-targets teammates, Rate of Fire +30% |
| Groza | Limited | Purchasable in-match for 800 FF Coins, maximum 2 purchases per match, available inside Arsenals |
| AWM | Arsenal Only | Available inside Arsenals with infinite ammo alongside Groza |
Meta Impact: The M590 rework is the most important weapon change for Clash Squad players. Its chip damage at range was a crutch for passive play. Now it is strictly a close-range finisher, which forces CS players to actually push rather than holding corners with occasional poke shots
👤 Ob52 Character Buffs and Nerfs
| Character | Nerf or Buff | What Changed |
| Ford | Nerf | Heal duration reduced from 4 seconds to 3 seconds — total healing drops from 40 HP to 30 HP per use |
| Kairos | Nerf | Structure and armor damage bonus reduced from 120% to 90% — Gloo walls much harder to destroy |
| Tatsuya | Nerf | Skill reset after eliminations now only works within a 10-second window of activation — no more mid-game free resets |
| Wukong | Nerf | Skill reset after eliminations also now limited to a 10-second window — same logic as Tatsuya |
| Rin | Buff | Kunai thrown faster, deals 12 damage at mid-short range, gains auto-targeting — much stronger consistent poke |
| Xayne | Buff | Temporary HP shield increased from 50 to 70 points — lasts 15 seconds, up from 50 which makes aggressive peeks significantly safer |
The Tatsuya and Wukong nerfs are the most significant character changes in OB52 for competitive play. Both characters built their power around unlimited resets after kills, which made them nearly unstoppable in multi-kill scenarios. The 10-second window now means you have to plan your resets, not just spam them. Kairos also takes a significant hit since his structure damage reduction makes him far less effective at destroying Gloo walls in Clash Squad.
🗺 Map Changes
Bermuda – Peak Rework
- New Jujutsu High School at Peak
- NPeak area redesigned with a Jujutsu Kaisen High School theme
- New large school building added at Peak
- Surrounding area updated with new structures
- Changes how players rotate (move) around Peak
- Loot locations adjusted — different item spawn spots
- Peak remains a hot drop zone with heavy fights
- New salon areas added near Barberin
- More loot available around Barberin region
- Level 5 Armor Chargers added to Bermuda
- Previously, Level 5 Armor Chargers were only on other mapsew salon areas near Barberin
- More loot spots
- Level 5 Armor Chargers added
Peak is now even more popular for hot drops.
🌆 Neon City & Rift Portals
- Neon City introduced as a fast-travel hub
- 4 Rift Portals appear on every map
- Enter a portal → instantly teleport to Neon City
- Inside Neon City, more portals available
- Exit portals take you to different map locations
- Entire squad can teleport within seconds
- Makes long-distance rotation much faster
- Reduces need for vehicles in some situations
- Completely changes late-game strategy
- Helps squads reach safe zones quickly
This makes rotations much faster in late game.
New Gameplay Items
Rally Beacon
Rally Beacon is a new deployable item that lets your teammates teleport directly to your location. After a teammate accepts the teleport request, the process takes 4 to 5 seconds to complete. This is an enormous strategic tool in late-game circles — if one player gets a good position inside the final zone, the entire squad can teleport to that position rather than trying to rotate through enemies.
Ultra Airdrop and Ultra Gear
An Ultra Airdrop spawns on the map after 400 seconds of match time. This airdrop contains Ultra Vests and Ultra Helmets, which are stronger than Level 4 gear and are described as unbreakable in their stat scaling. Controlling the Ultra Airdrop in late game becomes a secondary objective that can directly determine who wins final circles.
Arsenal Rework
Arsenals now have breakable entry points. Your full squad can shoot the reinforced glass to break it open and loot rare items immediately without needing a key. The Groza and AWM inside Arsenals now function as infinite ammo weapons while inside the structure, meaning if you hold an Arsenal position, you have unlimited ammunition for these two guns until you leave.
Vehicle Boost
All vehicles in OB52 now have a boost button that activates a 6-second speed burst reaching over 100 km/h. The boost has a 20-second cooldown. In a game where zone speed determines survival in late game, this makes vehicles significantly more viable for rotating quickly rather than abandoning them and running.
FAQ
When did the Free Fire OB52 update release?
January 14, 2026, globally across all regions, following a roughly 2-hour maintenance window. Pre-downloads were available from the evening of January 13.
What is the biggest new feature in OB52?
The Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration introduces the Cursed Energy combat mechanic which adds a literal in-match resource system. This is the first time Free Fire has added a resource-collection meta mechanic tied to a collaboration, making it the most mechanically significant feature in OB52.
Is Morse the best character in OB52?
Morse is the strongest new character for players who prefer a flanking or rotation-based playstyle. After the Tatsuya and Wukong nerfs, Morse fills the aggressive off-angle meta very well. However, Xayne with her 70-point shield buff is arguably better for players who prefer straight-up pushing.
Does the OB52 update affect Free Fire MAX?
Yes. All OB52 changes including Morse, the JJK collaboration, map changes, weapon rebalancing, and character adjustments apply to both standard Garena Free Fire and Free Fire MAX.
What happens to the Jujutsu Awakening event after February 13?
The event ends on February 13, 2026. After that, the Cursed Energy mechanic is removed from matches, JJK-themed bundles will no longer be earnable through missions, and the maps return to their standard state. All cosmetics earned during the event remain permanently on your account.
When is the next Free Fire update after OB52?
The OB53 update is expected around April 8, 2026, with the OB53 Advance Server likely opening in the second or third week of March 2026. Bookmark freefireadvanceservers.com for registration details, activation codes, and early leaks as soon as they go live.
