Restructured Apex Legends TitleApex Legends 2.0: EA's Post-Battlefield Plan

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 Apex Legends' net bookings have fallen year-on-year, though aligning with projected figures.

Wilson highlighted the game's continued community support, focusing on quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content creation. While some progress has been made, it's deemed insufficient to meet EA's financial goals.

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 thriving franchise for years to come. He envisions Apex 2.0 not as the final iteration, but as a significant step in the game's evolution, designed to attract both existing and new players. The company is committed to ongoing investment and support for its tens of millions of active players.

This strategic reboot mirrors Activision's approach with Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. While the success of that reboot remains debated, EA will undoubtedly learn from its competitors' experiences in the battle royale market.

Despite its current trajectory, Apex Legends remains a top-performing game on Steam in terms of concurrent players, although it's significantly below its peak and trending toward record lows. This underscores the urgency and importance of EA's planned revitalization efforts.