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

As *Apex Legends*, Respawn’s popular battle royale game, approaches its sixth anniversary, Electronic Arts (EA) has acknowledged that the game is underperforming financially. In a recent financial call discussing its third-quarter results, EA disclosed that *Apex Legends* net bookings were down compared to the previous year, aligning with their expectations. During a Q&A session with analysts, EA's CEO, Andrew Wilson, elaborated on the game's current state and future plans, including what he referred to as *Apex Legends 2.0*.

Wilson highlighted *Apex Legends*' significant achievements, noting that over 200 million people have played the game since its launch. Despite this, he expressed that the financial trajectory of the franchise has not met EA's expectations. "Apex is probably one of the great new launches in our industry over the last decade and has been loved by that core cohort," Wilson stated. He emphasized ongoing efforts to support the game's community, which consists of tens of millions of players, through quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content. However, he admitted that progress in these areas has been slower than desired.

To address the financial challenges, EA is planning a major update, dubbed *Apex Legends 2.0*. This update aims to reinvigorate the franchise, attract more players, and boost revenue. Wilson clarified that *Apex Legends 2.0* will not launch alongside the next *Battlefield* game, expected before April 2026. Instead, it is slated for release sometime during EA’s 2027 fiscal year, which ends in March 2027. "We do believe there will be a time where we need to do a more meaningful update of Apex as a broad game experience," Wilson explained, emphasizing the team's commitment to the game's long-term success.

Wilson also expressed confidence in *Apex Legends*' potential for longevity, likening it to other EA franchises that have thrived for decades. "Our expectation is that Apex will also be one of those franchises," he said, hinting at even more significant updates beyond *Apex Legends 2.0* to expand the game's appeal and support its competitive and new player communities.

The concept of *Apex Legends 2.0* draws comparisons to Activision's approach with *Call of Duty: Warzone*, which underwent a similar reboot with its 2.0 version in 2022. While the success of such a move remains debated among *Warzone* fans, EA is likely to consider these precedents as it seeks to grow *Apex Legends*' player base. Currently, *Apex Legends* remains a top-played game on Steam based on concurrent player counts, although it has seen a decline from its peak and is on track to hit record lows.