Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 4, 2019, without any prior announcement or marketing. The game is in its fourth season.
In Apex Legends, up to 20 three-person squads land on an island before searching for weapons and supplies to attempt to defeat all other players in combat. Each player must keep moving to avoid being caught outside the play area. The final team alive wins the round. The game is set in the same science fiction universe as Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall and Titanfall 2.
Work on the game began sometime around late 2016 and early 2017, though the project remained a secret right up until its launch. The game's release in 2019 came as a surprise, as until that point it had been assumed that Respawn Entertainment was working on a third instalment to the Titanfall franchise, the studio's previous major title.
Apex Legends received positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay, progression system, and fusion of elements from various genres. Some considered it a worthy competitor to Fortnite Battle Royale, a similar game that had gained massive popularity in the previous year. Apex Legends surpassed over 25 million players by the end of its first week, and 50 million within its first month. According to EA, as of July 2019, the game had approximately 8 to 10 million players a week and by October 2019 it had approximately 70 million players world-wide.
Release out of nowhere earlier in 2019, Apex Legends has become one of the hottest new titles on the gaming scene. A Battle Royale game in a similar vein to Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), you'll air drop into a large map with your squad and attempt to survive against other like-minded parties. What sets Apex Legends apart is its wide variety of weapon variants, its unique items (such as bots that heal you automatically and the ability to revive downed teammates) and unique powers tied to each of its characters. Whether you're using portals to outwit your enemies or calling in powerful ordinance, Apex Legends is fast becoming a GOTY contender in 2019.
