Apex Legends Goes Mobile

YRespawn Entertainment’s free-to-play hero shooter, Apex Legends has made its way onto mobile devices. Currently in beta-testing – and scheduled for a 2022 release. Apex Legends Mobile will be the same Apex Legends available on Playstation, Xbox, as well as Nintendo Switch. Only now adapted for Android, and iOS powered touchscreen devices. 

Apex Legends Mobile announced in April of this year the game becoming open for regional beta-testing (beginning with the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and recently, Hong Kong). In May of 2021, it is making its slow creep onto mobile. The online multiplayer Battle Royale shooter developed by Respawn Entertainment, and published by Electronic Arts (EA) is slated to see full-scale release in 2022. It will also support cross-platform play.

Apex Legends Gameplay

Based on Respawn Entertainment’s Mech-Battle title, Titanfall, Apex Legends is more Battle Royale oriented. Instead of piloting Mechanical Amours, players take control of one of 18 precast characters. Each of them possesses their own unique abilities (Legends,) and weaknesses. You can customize characters through found or bought cosmetic changes.

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The premise of the game is rather uncomplicated. Players take each other on in teams of three, in a format similar to other shooters; Counterstrike, and Valorant, for instance. General Apex Legends matches (in their current format,) feature 20 squads. Those squads consist of three players, each. Players then enter a match by joining teams, or being randomly matched by the game’s system. After which they’re airdropped onto a location of the playing map.

Where, on the map, the team lands is up to a single player, who assumes the role of “jumpmaster”. Though, you can deviate from the intended landing trajectory. Apex Legends’ gameplay is set up so that no two members on a squad can play as the same character, which keeps the game dynamic.

Once players land on the playing map, they search for weapons and other useful equipment. They ‘scavenge’ through crates and buildings, stacking their inventory, while also keeping watch for rival crews.

What makes this game different?

The game allows similar movement to other titles in the shooter genre. However, it also features additional movement options derived from various versions of Apex Legends, Titanfall. Said movement options enable players to slide down inclined surfaces, climb over low obstacles, as well as zip-line across wide areas to shorten travel time. Allowing players to employ a diverse set of strategies during play, while using the game’s non-verbal “ping” based communication system.

The playable area on the in-game map gradually shrinks as the match continues. It shrinks around a randomly selected point, a process aimed at forcing players into encounters. Any player remaining outside the “safe zone” will incur damage. Being unable to get back into the safe zone will result in a player dying.

Death isn’t the absolute end during Apex Legends gameplay, though there are some time-sensitive conditions. When someone makes you incapacitated (Knocked Down), squad members can revive you. A player who is killed can be brought back into the action. Only if said player’s teammates retrieve the Respawn Banner that appears at the spot where the player has died. With a given time limit, of course.

Currently, in its 10th season, the game introduces new characters, weapons, and gameplay additions. The previous season of the games introduced the ‘Arena’ gameplay mode. It has players team up in a 3 vs 3 match, over a period of rounds.

Team’s with a 2 or 3 point lead are crowned the winners of the given match. Should a match go to a 9th round – meaning teams are evenly matched.

Seasons?

Like Valorant, Apex Legends calls its updates Seasons. Each season is usually accompanied by the introduction of a new playable character, weapons, cosmetic upgrades, new gameplay changes, and events, as well as alterations to playing maps. The latest (at time of writing) Season came with the introduction of a character known as Seer, along with the Rampage LMG weapon, among other gameplay augmentations.

Public Support

Taking a page from musical artist Beyonce’s playbook – also hoping to avoid negative backlash from Titanfall loyalists – Respawn, and publisher, EA opted to go for a surprise release. Only having 100 internet influencers tease the game during half-time of the Super Bowl, a day before its official release, the publisher created a lot of hype for the online shooter.

Critics received the title rather favorably, with many going as far as claiming it to be a worthy challenger to Fortnite’s dominance over the Battle-Royale genre. Though players decried the absence of some of Titanfall’s in-game mechanics, they praised the title’s gameplay, as well as called its non-verbal communication system innovative.

Us sports Egaming-oriented Channel has broadcasted its live tournament. As of April of this year, Statistics report Apex Legends to have over 100 million registered users, with EA reporting that the title adds 8 -10 million players a week.

The game broke records at release, registering over a million players within the first 8 hours of release, and going on to clear $92 million in revenue – across all platforms – within the initial month of release. This set a record as the highest sum for a newly released battle-royale game within the first month of release.