As Respawn's battle royale sensation, Apex Legends, approaches its sixth anniversary, Electronic Arts (EA) has expressed concerns over its financial performance, indicating a need for significant changes. In a recent financial call discussing third-quarter results, EA revealed that Apex Legends' net bookings had declined year-over-year, though they aligned with the company's expectations. During the Q&A session, CEO Andrew Wilson candidly shared that while Apex Legends boasts a massive player base of over 200 million, it is not generating the revenue EA hopes for.
Wilson highlighted the game's success and the dedication of its community, noting, "Apex is probably one of the great new launches in our industry over the last decade and has been loved by that core cohort." Despite this, he admitted that the franchise's business trajectory has not met expectations. EA has been actively experimenting and adjusting various aspects to better support and engage the community, which consists of tens of millions of daily players. However, the progress in these efforts has been less than satisfactory.
In response to these challenges, EA is planning a major overhaul, dubbed Apex Legends 2.0, aimed at revitalizing the game, attracting new players, and boosting revenue. Wilson emphasized that this update will not coincide with the release of the next Battlefield game, expected before April 2026. Instead, Apex Legends 2.0 is slated to launch sometime during EA's fiscal year ending in March 2027.
Looking further ahead, Wilson expressed confidence in Apex Legends' long-term potential, likening it to other EA franchises that have sustained success over decades. He stated, "Our expectation is that Apex will also be one of those franchises and that sometime on a longer-term time horizon, there will be an even bigger, more meaningful update to that broader game experience, an Apex 2.0, if you will. This will not be the final incarnation of Apex."
EA remains committed to supporting the core community of tens of millions of players while planning significant updates post-Battlefield launch. The long-term vision involves expanding the franchise to cater to both competitive players and new audiences eager to experience Apex Legends' unique offerings.
The concept of Apex Legends 2.0 draws comparisons to Activision's approach with Call of Duty: Warzone, which underwent a 2.0 update in 2022. While the effectiveness of such a move is still debated among Warzone fans, EA is keenly aware of the competitive landscape in the battle royale genre and is strategizing accordingly to bolster Apex Legends' player base.
Despite its current financial struggles, Apex Legends continues to be one of the top-played games on Steam, measured by concurrent player counts. However, it has not reached its previous peak on Valve's platform and is trending toward new lows, underscoring the urgency of EA's plans for revitalization.
