Games

The Missed Opportunity – Apex Legends Mobile: The EA title which failed to bring profit to survive

BBG News

Story Highlights

  • Apex Legends Mobile ended up being a failed battle-royale project!
  • Despite being a promising adaptation of the PC game, Apex Legends Mobile failed to last a year!
  • The revenue kept dropping within months with EA being forced to shut it down.

The Fascinating Journey and Discontinuation of Apex Legends Mobile

Initially, there was a great deal of anticipation among gaming enthusiasts for the mobile adaptation of the Electronic Arts (EA) title, Apex Legends Mobile. This excitement stemmed from the fact that a widely popular PC franchise had made its way onto mobile devices. In fact, we at GamingonPhone honored it with the prestigious award for the best mobile port during its debut year in our 2022 Awards.

However, despite the initial interest from battle-royale fans, Apex Legends Mobile was ultimately discontinued in May 2023, following an official announcement in February 2023. In this article, we will delve into why the publisher and the gaming community at large missed out on the potential of Apex Legends Mobile, a title with so much promise and a strong mobile foundation.

As we moved towards an era where multiple platforms could host the same game simultaneously, games like FIFA Mobile, Madden Mobile, and Sims Mobile – all by EA – began to be played across PCs, consoles, and mobile devices. These titles quickly became fan favorites.

In this analysis, we’ll delve into the multiple aspects that led to Apex Legends Mobile’s decline, uncovering its tragic history and understanding why it was a squandered chance for Electronic Arts to engage with battle-royale enthusiasts who yearn for fresh ideas in games like PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and their contemporaries.

Featured Column – The Missed Opportunity

Have you ever played a game and found yourself thinking, “What a shame, I wish I’d made different choices”? GamingonPhone’s column, titled “The Missed Opportunity“, dives into similar thoughts, examining squandered chances in gameplay, design, or marketing for mobile games. Each article discusses the mistakes that were made and offers suggestions on how these titles could have been improved.

Apex Legends Mobile: Initial Prospects Despite Few Criticisms

Apex Legends Mobile, still fairly fresh in the mobile gaming scene, appears as an appealing adaptation of the well-known PC game, Apex Legends. While its initial reception didn’t quite match the legendary status of these long-standing games, it is crucial to note that this mobile version had been around for only a year.

Furthermore, there will always be a standard of measurement for the mobile version, which is its PC equivalent, Apex Legends. The developers at Electronic Arts have incorporated the shooting and gameplay mechanics using touch controls in a mobile game. While Apex Legends Mobile has garnered a small following within the gaming community, it hasn’t been able to attract significant numbers of players away from its counterparts.

The whole picture of the free-to-play gaming ecosystem

The mobile version of the game was praised as an excellent conversion of the PC version, boasting a rich collection of heroes and maps from the original PC game, plus stunning graphics and customizable controls. However, it did have some initial technical glitches and matchmaking challenges. Overall, it’s a commendable adaptation with plenty of potential for improvement.

One issue that developers noticed following the game’s launch was a relatively low interest in its heavily monetized features, such as in-game cosmetics or skins. Although these elements don’t usually influence the gameplay, they serve as a revenue source for the publisher. Given the rise of free-to-play games in the mobile gaming market, players could be young teenagers or individuals from regions where owning a PC or gaming console is less common.

As a devoted fan, I’d have to say it’s quite unlikely that players would be footing the bill for Apex Legends Mobile. Instead, the dedicated team behind this game has been tirelessly working on updates, maintaining servers, and advancing the game, all while earning minimal income. Given these circumstances, it’s not surprising that they felt compelled to announce its closure before completing its first anniversary.

Apex Legends Mobile: Revenue figures owing to its shutdown

Previously in charge of Apex Legends Mobile at Respawn Entertainment, the esteemed figure known as Giovanni Ducati has moved on to assume a new position with Warner Bros. In this role, he will serve as the VP and Studio Head for the studio behind Game of Thrones: Conquest. It’s worth noting that prior to his tenure at Warner Bros, Ducati held the title of Product Management Director at Scopely, and before that, he was a senior director at Blizzard.

According to the financial report from AppMagic, the monthly gross income peaked at approximately $7 million in May and June of 2022. However, since then it has dropped down to nearly half that amount. Specifically, in October, November, and December of 2022, the revenue was around $3.6 million, $2.9 million, and $3.5 million, respectively. In January 2023, the income has only managed to reach slightly over $1.4 million, marking a significant decrease and hitting a record low.

The company’s earnings have been declining every week since the beginning of the year. The latest figures show revenue of $485k, $389k, $299k, and $161k for the past four weeks respectively. This steep drop in revenue served as a decisive blow, leading to the subsequent official announcement of shutdown.

On February 1, 2023, Electronic Arts announced that they would abandon the development of both Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile. In their blog post, they explained that the content pipeline for Apex Legends Mobile was no longer meeting their standards in terms of quality, quantity, and frequency. The official shutdown of the servers occurred on May 1st, 2023.

Final Aftermath

Instead of Apex Legends Mobile potentially disrupting the reign of PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and COD Mobile with its fusion of hero-shooter mechanics and fast-paced action, it could have done so more effectively if Respawn and EA had focused on rapid optimization, creative innovation, and player-oriented systems from the start.

In simpler terms, Electronic Arts (EA) could have delivered an exciting addition to the mobile battle royale genre with Apex Legends Mobile, but they fell short and missed out on an opportunity to provide a breath of fresh air amidst the monotony that has become commonplace in these types of games.

Read More

2025-03-11 07:11

Previous post Official Look at the Village Psychic x New Balance Numeric Tiago Lemos 1010
Next post Bristol Palin Turns to Extreme Treatment for Facial Paralysis Recovery