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 net bookings are down year-over-year, though in line with projections.
Wilson highlighted the game's continued support for its tens of millions of active players, focusing on quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content. While progress has been made, it's deemed insufficient to achieve desired growth.
The solution? Apex Legends 2.0. This major update aims to revitalize the franchise, attract new players, and significantly boost revenue. However, its release is strategically planned for after the next Battlefield title, likely sometime in EA's 2027 fiscal year (ending March 2027).
Wilson emphasized the long-term vision for Apex Legends, aiming to maintain its status as a flagship franchise for years to come. He envisions Apex 2.0 not as the final iteration, but a significant step in the game's evolution, designed to attract both existing and new communities. This strategy mirrors Activision's approach with Warzone 2.0, though the success of such reboots remains a point of discussion within the industry.
While Apex Legends remains a top performer on Steam in terms of concurrent players, its peak has passed, and a downward trend is evident. EA will undoubtedly be closely monitoring competitor strategies in the battle royale market as they navigate this crucial phase for the game's future.
