Apex Legends Isn’t Doing the Business for EA, So It’s Making Apex Legends 2.0 to Come Out After Battlefield

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

As Apex Legends approaches its sixth anniversary, EA has acknowledged its underperformance, announcing plans for a significant overhaul dubbed "Apex Legends 2.0." While boasting over 200 million players, EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated that the game's revenue isn't meeting expectations. Despite its substantial player base, the game's financial trajectory has fallen short of EA's goals.

EA's current strategy focuses on three key areas: continued community support through quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content; ongoing testing and development of new content; and a major game update, Apex Legends 2.0.

Wilson emphasized the importance of supporting the tens of millions of daily players. While progress has been made, it hasn't been sufficient to meet EA's targets. Apex Legends 2.0 aims to revitalize the franchise, attract new players, and ultimately boost revenue. However, its release is planned for after the next Battlefield title, likely sometime in EA's 2027 fiscal year.

This significant update isn't intended as the final iteration of Apex Legends. EA envisions a long-term strategy for the franchise, mirroring the success of other long-lasting titles. The company remains committed to its existing player base and plans for future expansion to attract new players.

The Apex Legends 2.0 approach bears resemblance to Activision's Warzone 2.0 reboot. While the success of that strategy remains debated, EA will undoubtedly learn from competitor experiences in the battle royale market.

Despite its current trajectory, Apex Legends maintains a strong position among top-played games on Steam, although its concurrent player count is significantly below its peak. The company is actively working to reverse this trend and ensure the game's continued success.