Apex Legends is one of the biggest shooter games out there, and it could be soon coming to mobile devices this year.
The idea of a mobile version for Apex Legends isn’t exactly new. In fact, it makes all the more sense given that the game is available on almost every platform except mobile. Now, EA has revealed that a mobile version of the game could be soft-launched this year.
What soft-launching means
Soft-launch is basically a company’s way of easing in a product into the general public. This is a common practice for companies to test out the waters before making full-blown launch.
For EA (Entertainment Arts), soft-launching a mobile version for Apex Legends could mean releasing an alpha or beta version of the game. Not only that, but this could also happen in only a few select countries or individuals. This would allow them to collect data, gather player feedback, and fix bugs before making a global launch.
End-of-the-year release for Apex Legends Mobile
EA had earlier announced that a mobile version could be launched during the current fiscal year. Last year, the company confirmed that it would launch the game on iOS and Android. This means that an Apex Legends Mobile is not a matter of if but when.
A recent investor, Fireside chat, has revealed that EA could soft launch the mobile version by the end of the year. This is according to EA CEO Andrew Wilson who was caught saying, “We have Plants vs Zombies 3 in soft launch, and also we’ve talked about Apex Legends in soft launch by the end of this year.”
This goes well with a report published in February saying that EA has found a studio to work on Apex Legends Mobile.
Here it is. EA CEO talks about bringing Apex Legends to iOS & Android globally by the end of this year. Follow @ApexLatest for more exclusives.#apexlegendsmobile @EA @EAMobile @Respawn @apex_intel @TitanfallBlog @TencentGames @ZhugeEX pic.twitter.com/zIMhDEIwaH
— Apex Legends Mobile Latest Leaks (@ApexLatest) June 22, 2020
Mobile: what’s the big deal?
There is no doubt that Apex Legends was one of the biggest battle royale games ever released. In just a span of a month after its release, the game already had over 50 million players. This is a record only shared with one other game, Call of Duty: Warzone.
However, the hype for the game has waned over time, especially with the release of newer games like Warzone. But a mobile version of the battle royale game could see a renewal of interest, especially when the game taps into the billions of mobile users all over the world.
In 2019, mobile games accounted for around 33% of all mobile app downloads and 74% of consumer spending. With these figures, it can easily be said that mobile users give a high value on mobile games. Many gaming companies are already aware of this fact and so have made the crossover to the mobile platform.
Right now, PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Fortnite are dominating the mobile gaming scene. However, things could change once Apex Legends makes the move to mobile.
Image courtesy of EA/Apex Legends