EA Plans Apex Legends 2.0 Post-Battlefield Release

As Apex Legends approaches its sixth anniversary, EA has acknowledged that the game's financial performance has been underwhelming, despite meeting the company's expectations. In a recent financial call discussing third-quarter results, EA revealed that Apex Legends net bookings were down year-over-year. CEO Andrew Wilson candidly addressed the game's situation during a Q&A with analysts, stating that while Apex Legends boasts millions of players, it's not generating the revenue EA desires.

Wilson highlighted the game's success, noting that over 200 million people have played Apex Legends since its launch, describing it as one of the industry's standout new releases over the past decade. However, he admitted that the business trajectory of the franchise has not met EA's expectations. The company has been actively experimenting with various strategies to support and engage the dedicated community, which numbers in the tens of millions.

EA's strategy moving forward involves three main areas of focus: enhancing the core experience with quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content creation. Despite some progress, Wilson expressed that the results have not been as satisfactory as hoped.

To address the financial shortfall, EA is planning a significant update dubbed Apex Legends 2.0. This update aims to revitalize the franchise, attract new players, and boost revenue. Wilson emphasized that Apex Legends 2.0 will not coincide with the release of the next Battlefield game, expected before April 2026. Instead, Apex Legends 2.0 is slated for release sometime during EA's 2027 fiscal year, ending in March 2027.

Wilson expressed confidence in the long-term potential of Apex Legends, likening it to other enduring EA franchises that have thrived for decades. He envisions Apex Legends continuing to evolve, with Apex Legends 2.0 marking a pivotal moment in its journey. The development team remains committed to the core community and is diligently working on the upcoming major update.

The approach to Apex Legends 2.0 draws parallels to Activision's strategy with Call of Duty: Warzone, which underwent a similar reboot. While the effectiveness of such a move is still debated among fans, EA is keen to learn from its competitors in the battle royale genre as it seeks to expand its player base.

Despite its financial challenges, Apex Legends continues to rank highly on Steam based on concurrent player counts, although it has yet to recover to its peak performance on Valve's platform and is trending toward record lows.