Apex Sequel Emerges Amidst Battlefield Anticipation

EA's Apex Legends: A Sixth Birthday and a 2.0 Reboot?

As Apex Legends approaches its sixth anniversary, EA acknowledges its underperformance despite a massive player base. While boasting over 200 million players, the game's revenue isn't meeting EA's expectations. CEO Andrew Wilson confirmed this in a recent financial call, stating that while the game's trajectory hasn't met their goals, significant efforts are underway to address this.

Wilson highlighted three key areas of focus: continued community support (including quality-of-life improvements and anti-cheat measures), the creation of engaging new content, and a major game overhaul dubbed "Apex Legends 2.0."

While progress has been made, it hasn't been sufficient to meet EA's targets. Apex Legends 2.0 is envisioned as a significant revitalization, aiming to attract new players and boost revenue. However, its release is strategically planned to avoid clashing with the next Battlefield title, anticipated before April 2026. Therefore, Apex Legends 2.0 is likely slated for release sometime during EA's 2027 fiscal year.

Wilson emphasized EA's long-term commitment to the franchise, aiming to build Apex Legends into a lasting title, comparable to other successful franchises that have thrived for decades. He reiterated their dedication to the existing tens of millions of players, while simultaneously planning a major update to broaden the game's appeal and attract new audiences.

The planned Apex Legends 2.0 update draws parallels to Activision's Warzone 2.0 reboot. While the success of such reboots remains debated, EA will undoubtedly learn from competitors' experiences in the battle royale market. Although Apex Legends remains a top performer on Steam in terms of concurrent players, it's significantly below its peak and trending towards record lows. This underscores the urgency behind EA's efforts to reinvigorate the franchise.