Apex Legends 2 Not Planned as EA Prioritizes Seasonal Innovation

EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson recently spoke about the company’s live-service efforts, including the next season of Respawn’s shooter, Apex Legends. During the quarterly earnings call, Wilson emphasized the need for meaningful systematic innovation in Apex Legends to maintain growth and keep the community engaged.

Apex Legends is in an incredibly good position within the live-service market, boasting a strong brand, a solid mechanic, and a committed global community.

According to Wilson, EA understands the need for a “fundamentally changing way the game plays.” The development team is actively working to realize this, but there are no plans for a second iteration of the game, or “Apex 2.0.” Wilson notes that a second version of a game typically doesn’t perform as well as the original.

Instead of a full overhaul, EA will continue to support the existing player base by delivering new, innovative content on a season-by-season basis.

Wilson compared this approach to Blizzard’s Overwatch series, which saw a major overhaul with Overwatch 2. The new game had a rocky launch, with many players experiencing issues with queues, character access, and login requirements.

EA’s Alternative Approach

In contrast, EA is focusing on building additional opportunities for engagement in different modalities of play beyond the core mechanic. This approach aims to continue innovating in the core experience while maintaining the existing ecosystem.

The company has already seen success with this approach, as seen in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which is a return to what made BioWare great. Additionally, The Sims 4 has managed to gain over 15m new players this year alone.

By prioritizing seasonal innovation, EA is aiming to maintain the momentum of Apex Legends and keep its dedicated community engaged. This approach may not result in a second iteration of the game, but it will ensure the game continues to evolve and thrive in the live-service market.