Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment have officially announced to the world the release of their very own battle royale game, "Apex Legends." The free-to-play, first-person shooter title is now available for download on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The new video game has attracted over 1 million unique players in less than 8 hours after its initial release in the market. For struggling companies like EA and Respawn, getting over one million players in a very short time is already a huge achievement.
"Apex Legends" represent the first big step for EA’s plan to enter the highly lucrative battle royale space, a fast-growing gaming formula popularized by "Fortnite" and "PUBG." It also promises a fresh start for the troubled company like EA, which has experienced some difficulties and poor performance in the past couple of months.
The company's first big battle royal effort, the Battlefield V’s Firestorm, is still on development and will not launch until March.
Inside Apex Legends
Set in the vast and hostile "Titanfall" world, the new battle royale game focuses on squad-based pay where a player must select their own character from one of the eight "Apex Legends" characters. Each of these Legends has its own abilities and fighting style.
The game publisher EA and developer Respawn are bringing a new experience in their new game, adding more colorful characters than the two previous "Titanfall" games. Borderlands heavily influenced many of these newly added characters.
Respawn has gone more creative here, adding new features onboard.
Some of the important features include a new squad communication features, the jumpmaster, and an inventory system that automatically attaches equipment to the right weapon when picked up, thus increasing the reaction time and chance of survival for many players.
The game developer has added a new exciting feature called Respawn Beacons, which allow players to revive a dead teammate.
Another exciting feature is a new communication system or a ping system. This new ping system provides players with the ability to flag up points of interest on the map and then share it with their teammates. The jumpmaster is another exciting new addition from Respawn. This new feature allows players to select the exact drop point in the map, which means that players have the power to control the direction of their landing.
This new feature increases the chances of the players’ survival during the landing stage. Having a secured landing spot is very important in every survival game. Players can also peel off early if they want.
Unfortunately for "Titanfall" fans, Respawn’s new game doesn’t offer the iconic Titans, which means that players will be missing those huge lumbering giants and fun hyper-mobility. There are no pilots and robots to control in this new game. Instead, "Apex Legends" brings a whole new adventure, something lethal but much faster.
In addition for being a free-to-play game, "Apex Legends" will also include a paid Battle Pass, similar to its competitor "Fortnite." As expected by many, the game will allow players to earn seasonal rewards through gameplay.
"Apex Legends" is slated to receive its first season next month.
EA's latest financial challenges and the possible solution
EA’s latest financial results could spell trouble for the company. The website Gaming Industry has learned that EA has missed its target revenues. The company’s third-quarter results, which ended on December 31 of last year, saw total net revenue of just over $1.289 billion, while net bookings were just at $1.609 billion, according to reports.
That a huge miss for the gaming company, considering it's looking for $1.375 billion in net revenue and $1.725 billion in net bookings for the third quarter. CEO Andrew Wilson admitted that his company had experienced some difficulties in its third quarter.
The recent launch of two major titles, the "Battlefield V" and "Command & Conquer: Rivals" haven’t made any profound effect on the company’s overall revenues. As a result, the company decided to make some big changes to improve its execution. Its now focusing on delivering new games and innovative live services to its players.
The latest battle royale game Apex Legends along with the upcoming game Anthem promise new fresh start and some big help for the struggling EA. The company is currently facing more intense competition, not just from traditional gaming companies but also from fast-growing players like Epic Games, the studio behind the battle royale craze "Fortnite." In addition to the cutthroat competition, EA will also need to address other key factors.
These include the fast-changing gaming market, geographic differences, and the arrival of new technologies.
The launch of the new battle royale game Apex Legends may have come too late to have any impact on EA’s recent third quarter financial results. However, the upcoming Battle Pass season could provide the company some big hand and a chance to recover from those poor performances.
As for the fourth quarter, EA is looking for a $1.163 billion revenue target and $170 million in net income. EA hopes that the new "Apex Legends," the upcoming "Anthem," and next "Titanfall" game would finally give the company the shot it's looking for, a new market for growth.
