Respawn Entertainment took the battle royale genre by storm when it launchedApex Legendsback in 2019. The genre had largely been dominated byFortniteandPUBG, butApex Legendsbrought something brand-new to the table. Combining hero shooter mechanics with the battle royale genre led to an experience unlike any other that players cannot stop playing.
AsApex Legendsenters its 17th Season, it is still showing no signs of slowing down. It has amassed a huge playerbase, has a strong esports scene, and Respawn has continually updated it with new content. It is a major success for the studio, but no king rules forever. There will come a time whenApex Legendsmust end, and that may be sooner than some players realize.
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Apex Legends is Still Extremely Popular
Apex Legendscame out of nowhere in 2019 and instantly made a name for itself. Before release, Respawn Entertainment had only been known for theTitanfallfranchise. While that series never quite attracted a massive audience, fans wereanxiously waiting for aTitanfall 3announcement, However, the studio had other plans, instead choosing to shadow-dropApex Legends, and it never looked back.
Apex Legendswas an instant hit for Respawn as it surpassed 25 million players within its first week. Players fell in love with the fast-paced combat and hero-shooter mechanics right out of the gate. It would go on to amass 50 million players within the first month and reach 100 million by April 2021. It quickly became one ofthe most popular battle royale gamesout there and has only continued to grow.
Respawn hasadded a plethora of content toApex Legendssince its release. The game has seen multiple new maps, arenas, modes, legends, weapons, and cosmetics across 17 different seasons of content. While not every piece of content has been well-received, the update stream has mostly stayed consistent throughout the years.
Apex Legends Will Have to Close its Doors Eventually
Apex Legendsis still extremely popular going into its fourth year, but that will not last forever. There comes a time when every game must release its last update, and that will happen toApex Legendseventually. While it will likely take some time, recent developments may hint at a more uncertain future forthe popular free-to-play battle royale.
In early 2023, EA announced that it would beshutting downApex Legends Mobile. While the shuttering of the mobile port does not necessarily mean the main game is struggling, it is a bit of a worrying sign for the overall health of the brand. It may have won Mobile Game of the Year from Apple and Google, but it failed to procure a decent-sized playerbase. It was not a sustainable product, and EA was forced to pull the plug.
Respawn Entertainment has also grown its video game output considerably sinceApex Legends' launch. It hasreleased twoStar Wars: Jedigames,Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, and is currently working on numerous untitled projects including a newApex Legendsexperience. This is great news for Respawn fans, but there is a chance that the studio will take resources away fromApex Legendsto focus on one or more of these projects. While that is pure speculation, it has happened before with studios like Blizzard Entertainment, and could easily happen here.
Apex Legendsmay still be one of the biggest names in the battle royale genre, but it will not hold that title forever. With the closure ofApex Legends Mobileand the expansion of Respawn’s game output, the future ofApex Legendsis not as secure as it once was. On top of all that, there is also increased competition with the likes ofOverwatch 2. While the end is still likely a ways off, it may be upon players before they realize it.
Apex Legendsis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
