EA Plans Apex Legends 2.0 Post-Battlefield Release Amid Declining Sales

As Respawn's battle royale game, Apex Legends, approaches its sixth anniversary, Electronic Arts (EA) has acknowledged that the game is not meeting its financial expectations. In a recent financial call discussing third-quarter results, EA revealed that Apex Legends' net bookings have declined year-over-year, though they align with the company's projections. During a Q&A session with analysts, EA CEO Andrew Wilson candidly discussed the game's performance, emphasizing that while Apex Legends boasts millions of players, its revenue is not up to par.

Wilson highlighted the game's impressive launch and its enduring popularity among a core group of players, noting that over 200 million people have played the game. However, he admitted that the franchise's business trajectory has been disappointing. EA has been experimenting with various strategies to support and grow the game's community, focusing on quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures, and new content creation. Despite these efforts, Wilson confessed that the progress has been less than satisfactory.

To address these financial challenges, EA is developing a major update, dubbed Apex Legends 2.0, aimed at revitalizing the franchise, attracting new players, and boosting revenue. Wilson stressed that this significant update 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 also expressed long-term optimism for the franchise, envisioning Apex Legends as a game that could thrive for decades, similar to other successful EA franchises. He emphasized the company's commitment to the game's core community, which numbers in the tens of millions, and its plans for future expansions to cater to both competitive and new players.

The concept of Apex Legends 2.0 draws parallels with Activision's approach to Call of Duty's Warzone, which saw a reboot with a 2.0 version in 2022. While the success of such a move remains debated, EA is undoubtedly taking note of how competitors in the battle royale genre have navigated similar challenges.

Despite its financial struggles, Apex Legends continues to rank among the most-played games on Steam, based on concurrent player counts. However, the game's peak performance on Valve's platform is behind it, and it appears to be heading toward new lows. EA's strategic updates and long-term vision for Apex Legends will be crucial in reversing this trend and securing the game's future.