Apex Legends was released for PC, Xbox One and PS4 on Feb. 4, 2019. The game came out during the height of Battle Royale mania.
When did Apex Legends first release?
The Battle Royale title Apex Legends was released on Feb. 4, 2019 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. It was developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA.
Released in 2019 during the height of the Battle Royale genre's popularity, Apex Legends swiftly gained popularity despite no pre-launch marketing campaign. Post-launch it was dubbed the "Fortnite killer".
When is the game set?
The Battle Royale title is set in the Titanfall universe created by Respawn Entertainment. It centres around the Apex Games, a televised blood sport, run by Kuben Blisk. Kuben Blisk was one of the two main antagonists in Titanfall 2.
Pre-Season/Season 0
On release Apex had 8 playable Legends, with Caustic and Mirage unlockable with 750 Legend tokens. The initial cast of the game were praised for their diversity.
Base game Legends on release:
- Bangalore
- Bloodhound
- Gibraltar
- Lifeline
- Pathfinder
- Wraith
- Caustic (750 Legend tokens)
- Mirage (750 Legend tokens)
Respawn Entertainment have added a new Legend for every Season that followed. Season 16 which launched on Feb. 14, 2023, was the first to not feature a brand new legend.
Despite four years since the launch of the game, the original cast remain among the most played Legends across all ranks. Season 0's Wraith, Pathfinder, Bloodhound, Bangalore, Lifeline all found themselves in the top 10 most picked Legends by the end of Season 15.
On launch there was only one playable map, King's Canyon.
The map was later nicknamed OG King's Canyon and brought back as a special treat as part of the Genesis Collection Event for Season 13 in May, 2021.
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EA's Battle Royale launched with no marketing
Surprisingly Apex Legends had no pre-launch marketing campaign. At the time EA was in hot water for the use of loot boxes in Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and in a candid interview with Eurogamer, Lead Producer Drew McCoy alluded to the fact that a pre-launch marketing campaign could have drawn criticism.
"We're doing a free to play game, with essentially loot boxes, after we were bought by EA, and it's not Titanfall 3. It's the perfect recipe for a marketing plan to go awry, so why have that - let's just ship the game and let players play."
Apex Legends launched during the peak of Epic Games' Fortnite's popularity, with many dubbing it the "Fortnite killer" after it was released.
The game was an instant hit, with EA using influencers to generate interest around the title on Twitch. This strategy became far more commonplace in the years to follow.
Apex Legends Nintendo Switch release date
Apex Legends was released on Nintendo Switch on March. 9, 2021, two years after its initial release for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
When did Apex Legends mobile come out?
Apex Legends Mobile was released globally for Android and iOS on May. 17, 2022.
Prior to global launch it had a limited regional launch in ten countries: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Colombia.
The mobile version of the Battle Royale title is in third-person and features mobile-exclusive content. This includes two new mobile-only legends; Fade and Rhapsody.
When is Apex Legends mobile shutting down?
On January. 31, 2023, EA announced they would be shutting down Apex Legends mobile on May. 1, 2023.
EA and Respawn said the reason for sunsetting the mobile version was that "the content pipeline for Apex Legends Mobile has begun to fall short of that bar for quality, quantity, and cadence".
Since the announcement of the imminent demise of the mobile version, fans have taken to Twitter with the hashtag #SaveApexMobile. While it is unlikely to change the fate of the mobile title, fans can still enjoy one final season before EA sunsets it.
