Hold on to your jump kits, Legends. It seems that even in the fast-moving, ever-changing world of Apex Legends, a shake-up is needed now and then. Despite consistently drawing in millions of players every day and getting a steady stream of updates, the word from EA is that Apex Legends just isn't cutting it financially. That's got them thinking big.
The Arena State: Between Popularity and Profit
Apex Legends was a revelation in 2019, really bringing the battle royale genre to the next level. It took off instantly. Every Legend had a flavor and set of abilities all their own in the fight. Player counts skyrocketed, and it seemed like everyone was dropping into Kings Canyon, World's Edge, or Olympus. Fast forward to today, and while the player base is still enormous and very active, the financial return just isn't quite there yet for EA. It's almost inconceivable. A game loved by millions is still underperforming financially.
Enter Apex Legends 2.0: A Meaningful Evolution
What's the plan? According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, it's Apex Legends 2.0. Think of it more like a seasonal rework, rather than just a seasonal update. A "meaningful" one, built to greatly expand the entire scope of the game. Even Wilson himself admitted that while Apex Legends had an amazing launch and has more than 200 million players since day one, it's just not performing to EA's expectations at this point in time. They've tried new content, tweaked features, listened to feedback - all the usual live-service playbook moves - but the needle isn't moving quite as much as they'd like.
"We want to bring Apex Legends 2.0, a 'meaningful' update with the goal of significantly expanding the game experience to new horizons."
Andrew Wilson, EA CEO
Beyond Battle Royale: Expanding the Horizon
Most details are still kept in secret, but what should be grasped here is "expanding the game experience." This does tell something more rather than new Legends and maps. Can we expect to see whole new game modes? Maybe deeper lore implementation? Even stuff that would reach out beyond core battle royale? While it doesn't let everything out of the bag now, at this moment in time, the message across from EA is clear. Apex Legends isn't going anywhere but up.
Patience Is a Virtue: 2.0's Coming. But Not Yet
One thing fans should not do is wait for Apex Legends 2.0 anytime tomorrow. According to Wilson, this isn't coming with the new Battlefield title on the horizon and is therefore a wee bit further down the line. He did however make a point to reassure the Apex community of EA's commitment and continued investment into the future of the game. It's a long-term investment for them as they position Apex Legends as a franchise that can last decades into the future. While specifics of 2.0 are still forthcoming, one thing's for sure. Major change is en route to the Apex Games. Buckle up, Legends. The arena is about to change.
