<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
is	O
a	O
free-to-play	O
battle	O
royale-hero	O
shooter	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
February	O
2019	O
,	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
March	O
2021	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
in	O
March	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mobile	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
designed	O
for	O
touchscreens	O
titled	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Mobile	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
May	O
2022	O
on	O
Android	B-Application
and	O
iOS	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
supports	O
cross-platform	B-Application
play	I-Application
,	O
excluding	O
the	O
aforementioned	O
mobile	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
the	O
match	O
,	O
players	O
form	O
into	O
two	O
-	O
or	O
three-player	O
squads	B-Application
,	O
and	O
select	O
from	O
pre-designed	O
characters	O
with	O
distinctive	O
abilities	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
Legends	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
"	O
Battle	O
Royale	O
"	O
,	O
up	O
to	O
20	O
three-person	O
squads	B-Application
or	O
30	O
two-person	O
duos	O
land	O
on	O
an	O
island	O
and	O
search	O
for	O
weapons	O
and	O
supplies	O
before	O
attempting	O
to	O
defeat	O
all	O
other	O
players	O
in	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
"	O
Arenas	O
"	O
,	O
players	O
form	O
into	O
three-player	O
squads	B-Application
and	O
fight	O
against	O
another	O
squad	B-Application
in	O
a	O
3v3	O
team	O
deathmatch	O
over	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
rounds	O
to	O
determine	O
the	O
winner	O
of	O
the	O
match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
science	O
fiction	O
universe	O
as	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
's	O
Titanfall	B-Application
series	O
,	O
with	O
several	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
series	O
appearing	O
either	O
as	O
minor	O
characters	O
or	O
playable	O
Legends	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
in	O
2019	O
came	O
as	O
a	O
surprise	O
,	O
as	O
until	O
that	O
point	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
assumed	O
that	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
was	O
working	O
on	O
a	O
third	O
installment	O
to	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
franchise	O
,	O
the	O
studio	O
's	O
previous	O
major	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
received	O
generally	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
who	O
praised	O
its	O
gameplay	O
,	O
progression	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
fusion	O
of	O
elements	O
from	O
various	O
genres	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
surpassed	O
25	O
million	O
players	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
,	O
and	O
50	O
million	O
within	O
its	O
first	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
is	O
an	O
online	B-Application
multiplayer	O
battle	O
royale	O
game	O
featuring	O
squads	B-Application
of	O
three	O
players	O
using	O
pre-made	O
characters	O
with	O
distinctive	O
abilities	O
,	O
called	O
"	O
Legends	O
"	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
those	O
of	O
hero	O
shooters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alternate	O
modes	O
have	O
been	O
introduced	O
allowing	O
for	O
single	O
and	O
for	O
two-player	O
squads	B-Application
since	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
match	O
generally	O
features	O
twenty	O
teams	O
of	O
three-player	O
squads	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
join	O
friends	O
in	O
a	O
squad	B-Application
or	O
can	O
be	O
matched	O
randomly	O
with	O
other	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
the	O
match	O
,	O
each	O
player	O
on	O
the	O
squad	B-Application
selects	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
23	O
playable	O
characters	O
(	O
as	O
of	O
season	O
15	O
)	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
that	O
no	O
character	O
may	O
be	O
selected	O
more	O
than	O
once	O
by	O
a	O
squad	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
squad	B-Application
has	O
a	O
unique	O
design	O
,	O
personality	O
,	O
and	O
abilities	O
that	O
provide	O
different	O
playstyles	O
to	O
the	O
team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
player	O
in	O
each	O
squad	B-Application
is	O
the	O
jumpmaster	O
,	O
selecting	O
when	O
the	O
squad	B-Application
should	O
skydive	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
aircraft	O
and	O
where	O
to	O
land	O
with	O
the	O
concurrence	O
of	O
the	O
other	O
squad	B-Application
members	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
players	O
are	O
free	O
to	O
deviate	O
from	O
the	O
squad	B-Application
's	O
path	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
on	O
the	O
ground	O
,	O
the	O
squad	B-Application
can	O
scavenge	O
for	O
weapons	O
,	O
armor	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
equipment	O
that	O
is	O
scattered	O
around	O
buildings	O
,	O
or	O
in	O
crates	O
randomly	O
distributed	O
around	O
the	O
map	O
,	O
while	O
keeping	O
an	O
eye	O
out	O
for	O
other	O
squads	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
includes	O
a	O
nonverbal	O
communication	O
"	O
ping	O
system	O
"	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
use	O
their	O
game	B-Device
controller	I-Device
to	O
communicate	O
to	O
their	O
squad	B-Application
certain	O
directions	O
,	O
weapon	O
locations	O
,	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
suggested	O
strategies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
game	O
offers	O
movement	O
options	O
similar	O
to	O
other	O
shooters	O
,	O
it	O
includes	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
features	O
of	O
previous	O
Titanfall	B-Application
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
climb	O
over	O
short	O
walls	O
,	O
slide	O
down	O
inclined	O
surfaces	O
,	O
and	O
use	O
zip-lines	O
to	O
traverse	O
an	O
area	O
quickly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
also	O
confines	O
squads	B-Application
to	O
smaller	O
spaces	O
to	O
force	O
encounters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
last	O
squad	B-Application
with	O
any	O
members	O
left	O
alive	O
is	O
crowned	O
the	O
"	O
Apex	O
Champions	O
"	O
of	O
that	O
match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
who	O
become	O
knocked	B-Language
down	I-Language
in	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
a	O
game	O
can	O
be	O
revived	O
by	O
their	O
squadmates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Should	O
a	O
player	O
be	O
killed	O
completely	O
,	O
they	O
can	O
still	O
be	O
resurrected	O
if	O
their	O
team	O
member(s )	O
collect	O
their	O
respawn	O
banner	B-Device
,	O
which	O
appears	O
at	O
the	O
place	O
where	O
they	O
died	O
,	O
and	O
bring	O
it	O
to	O
one	O
of	O
several	O
beacons	B-Protocol
on	O
the	O
island	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
banner	B-Device
,	O
however	O
,	O
must	O
be	O
collected	O
within	O
a	O
time	O
limit	O
,	O
before	O
expiring	O
and	O
fully	O
eliminating	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
this	O
mode	O
,	O
players	O
form	O
into	O
three-player	O
squads	B-Application
and	O
fight	O
against	O
another	O
squad	B-Application
in	O
a	O
3v3	O
team	O
deathmatch	O
over	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
rounds	O
to	O
determine	O
the	O
winner	O
of	O
the	O
match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
variation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
borrows	O
mechanics	O
from	O
other	O
shooters	O
such	O
as	O
Counter	B-Application
Strike	I-Application
and	O
Valorant	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Season	O
Title	O
Period	O
Description	O
1	O
Wild	O
Frontier	O
March	O
19	O
,	O
2019	O
–	O
June	O
18	O
,	O
2019	O
The	O
first	O
season	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
introduced	O
a	O
new	O
playable	O
character	O
known	O
as	O
Octane	O
and	O
included	O
several	O
bug	O
fixes	O
and	O
quality	O
of	O
life	O
improvements	O
,	O
including	O
adjustments	O
to	O
so-called	O
"	O
hitboxes	B-Protocol
"	O
(	O
a	O
predefined	O
'	O
damageable	O
 '	O
zone	O
which	O
is	O
unique	O
to	O
each	O
Legend	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
their	O
size	O
and	O
shape	O
)	O
and	O
also	O
unique	O
skills	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
"	O
quest	O
"	O
system	O
is	O
also	O
introduced	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
fight	O
in	O
PvE	O
missions	O
either	O
solo	O
or	O
with	O
a	O
squad	B-Application
to	O
earn	O
unique	O
rewards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
battle	O
pass	O
is	O
added	O
,	O
which	O
includes	O
a	O
new	O
cosmetic	O
reward	O
of	O
"	O
Holo-Sprays	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
crafting	O
mechanic	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
upgrade	O
their	O
gear	O
with	O
materials	O
found	O
around	O
the	O
map	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
fan-favorite	O
weapon	O
from	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Volt	O
SMG	O
,	O
also	O
makes	O
its	O
debut	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
map	O
also	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
traverse	O
it	O
using	O
"	O
Tridents	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
vehicle	O
for	O
the	O
whole	O
squad	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
battle	O
pass	O
is	O
added	O
,	O
community	O
"	O
clubs	O
"	O
are	O
also	O
added	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
meet	O
other	O
like-minded	O
players	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Season	O
7	O
also	O
brings	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
to	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
golden	O
rarity	O
of	O
an	O
extended	O
magazine	O
has	O
also	O
been	O
introduced	O
,	O
which	O
automatically	O
reloads	O
your	O
holstered	O
weapon	O
after	O
a	O
few	O
seconds.9LegacyMay	O
4	O
,	O
2021	O
–	O
August	O
3	O
,	O
2021A	O
new	O
Legend	O
named	O
Valkyrie	O
is	O
introduced	O
,	O
the	O
daughter	O
of	O
known	O
Pilot	O
Viper	O
from	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
season	O
also	O
introduces	O
a	O
Ranked	O
version	O
of	O
Arenas.11EscapeNovember	O
2	O
,	O
2021	O
–	O
February	O
8	O
,	O
2022A	O
new	O
simulacrum	O
Legend	O
named	O
Ash	O
is	O
introduced	O
,	O
a	O
returning	O
character	O
who	O
was	O
previously	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
antagonists	O
from	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
weapon	O
,	O
the	O
CAR	O
SMG	O
is	O
introduced	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
gun	O
originally	O
from	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
season	O
contents	O
,	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
features	O
limited-time	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fight	O
or	O
Fright	O
(	O
2019	O
)	O
3	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
2019	O
–	O
November	O
5	O
,	O
2019	O
The	O
"	O
Shadowfall	O
"	O
mode	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
Solo	O
mode	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
a	O
twist	O
:	O
players	O
that	O
die	O
become	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
Shadow	O
Squad	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Shadow	O
Squad	B-Application
has	O
to	O
either	O
kill	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
Legends	O
or	O
make	O
sure	O
that	O
none	O
of	O
them	O
make	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
evac	O
ship	O
in	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Holo-Day	O
Bash	O
(	O
2019	O
)	O
3	O
December	O
12	O
,	O
2019	O
–	O
January	O
7	O
,	O
2020	O
The	O
"	O
Winter	O
Express	O
"	O
mode	O
is	O
a	O
domination-style	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
squads	B-Application
dropping	O
in	O
with	O
full	O
gear	O
,	O
attempting	O
to	O
capture	O
the	O
Winter	O
Express	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
modes	O
are	O
(	O
in	O
order	O
of	O
appearance	O
)	O
:	O
"	O
Gold	O
Rush	O
Duos	O
"	O
(	O
duos	O
but	O
all	O
weapons	O
are	O
legendary	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
LIVE.DIE.LIVE	O
"	O
(	O
dead	O
players	O
in	O
alive	O
squads	B-Application
automatically	O
respawn	O
each	O
time	O
the	O
ring	O
closes	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
Third-Person	O
Mode	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Always	O
Be	O
Closing	O
"	O
(	O
the	O
ring	O
constantly	O
closes	O
into	O
a	O
small	O
area	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
Armed	O
and	O
Dangerous	O
on	O
World	O
's	O
Edge	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Kings	O
Canyon	O
After	O
Dark	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
DUMMIE	O
's	O
Big	O
Day	O
"	O
(	O
all	O
Legends	O
are	O
replaced	O
by	O
eight	O
different	O
colors	O
of	O
DUMMIEs	O
(	O
Digital	O
Utility	O
Mock	O
Man	O
Intelligent	O
Examples	O
)	O
that	O
have	O
abilities	O
that	O
are	O
different	O
to	O
the	O
Legends	O
,	O
albeit	O
with	O
them	O
all	O
having	O
the	O
same	O
ones	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
item	O
was	O
introduced	O
,	O
the	O
Mobile	O
Respawn	O
Beacon	B-Protocol
,	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
respawn	O
their	O
teammates	O
in	O
most	O
areas	O
of	O
the	O
map	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
unlike	O
Shadowfall	O
,	O
they	O
also	O
get	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
wall-run	O
and	O
will	O
permanently	O
die	O
if	O
all	O
Legends	O
in	O
their	O
squad	B-Application
are	O
killed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
event	O
also	O
introduces	O
several	O
new	O
mechanics	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
"	O
Heat	O
Shields	O
"	O
(	O
used	O
to	O
protect	O
players	O
from	O
Ring	O
Flares	O
or	O
the	O
ring	O
itself	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
Survival	O
Slot	O
"	O
(	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
store	O
"	O
situational	O
utilities	O
"	O
,	O
aka	O
the	O
Mobile	O
Respawn	O
Beacon	B-Protocol
and	O
Heat	O
Shields	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
escalation	O
takeovers	O
(	O
takeovers	O
where	O
the	O
mode	O
receives	O
various	O
changes	O
consistently	O
throughout	O
the	O
event	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
modes	O
are	O
(	O
in	O
order	O
of	O
appearance	O
)	O
:	O
"	O
Second	O
Chance	O
"	O
(	O
every	O
player	O
gets	O
one	O
free	O
respawn	O
per	O
match	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
Ultra	O
Zones	O
"	O
(	O
each	O
match	O
has	O
multiple	O
"	O
Hot	O
Zones	O
"	O
–	O
a	O
special	O
type	O
of	O
area	O
that	O
contains	O
higher-quality	O
loot	O
over	O
all	O
other	O
locations	O
in	O
the	O
map	O
–	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
usual	O
one	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
said	O
Hot	O
Zones	O
being	O
in	O
Flashpoints	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
Auto	O
Banners	B-Device
"	O
(	O
banner	B-Device
cards	O
are	O
automatically	O
retrieved	O
)	O
,	O
"	O
Killing	O
Time	O
"	O
(	O
the	O
ring	O
timer	O
shortens	O
every	O
time	O
a	O
player	O
is	O
killed	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Armor	O
Regen	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
Christmas	O
2022	O
)	O
15December	O
6	O
,	O
2022	O
-	O
December	O
27	O
,	O
2022Fourth	O
annual	O
Christmas	O
event	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
24	O
Chinese	O
New	O
Year-themed	O
cosmetics	O
are	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
,	O
Anniversary	O
(	O
2023	O
)	O
16February	O
14	O
,	O
2023	O
-	O
February	O
28	O
,	O
2023A	O
celebration	O
for	O
the	O
fourth	O
anniversary	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
free	O
Anniversary	O
Packs	O
in	O
the	O
free	O
Prize	O
Tracker	O
are	O
featured	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
several	O
normal	O
Apex	O
Packs	O
and	O
community-created	O
skins	O
and	O
Banner	B-Device
Frames.Imperial	O
Guard16March	O
7	O
,	O
2023	O
-	O
March	O
21	O
,	O
2023Wraith	O
receives	O
her	O
third	O
heirloom-rarity	O
cosmetic	O
,	O
a	O
recolor	O
of	O
her	O
original	O
Kunai	O
heirloom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
has	O
a	O
diverse	O
cast	O
of	O
23	O
characters	O
,	O
divided	O
into	O
5	O
classes	O
(	O
5	O
for	O
Assault	O
,	O
6	O
for	O
Skimirsher	O
,	O
4	O
for	O
Recon	O
,	O
4	O
for	O
Support	O
and	O
4	O
for	O
Controller	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
of	O
the	O
character	O
designs	O
are	O
based	O
on	O
Titanfall	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aside	O
of	O
the	O
cast	O
of	O
characters	O
in	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
two	O
exclusive	O
characters	O
that	O
were	O
only	O
playable	O
in	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Mobile	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developer	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
had	O
previously	O
developed	O
Titanfall	B-Application
(	O
2014	O
)	O
and	O
its	O
sequel	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
(	O
2016	O
)	O
,	O
both	O
of	O
which	O
were	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
(	O
EA	O
)	O
who	O
eventually	O
acquired	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
in	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
design	O
director	O
Mackey	O
McCandlish	O
,	O
initial	O
design	O
on	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
started	O
before	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
shipped	O
in	O
2016	O
and	O
as	O
of	O
2018	O
the	O
entire	O
Titanfall	B-Application
team	O
at	O
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
was	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
project	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
executive	O
producer	O
Drew	O
McCoy	O
stated	O
that	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
begin	O
until	O
the	O
spring	O
of	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
by	O
way	O
of	O
comparison	O
,	O
had	O
around	O
85	O
developers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
McCoy	O
,	O
the	O
studio	O
was	O
not	O
sure	O
what	O
their	O
next	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
after	O
completing	O
the	O
post-release	O
support	O
for	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
though	O
they	O
knew	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
keep	O
making	O
Titanfall	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
studio	O
broke	O
into	O
several	O
small	O
teams	O
to	O
create	O
"	O
action	O
blocks	O
"	O
,	O
small	O
game	O
prototypes	O
that	O
showcase	O
a	O
gameplay	O
element	O
,	O
a	O
weapon	O
,	O
or	O
similar	O
feature	O
of	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
would	O
fit	O
into	O
a	O
Titanfall	B-Application
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
such	O
"	O
action	O
block	O
"	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
battle	O
royale	O
game	O
genre	O
led	O
by	O
PlayerUnknown	B-Application
's	I-Application
Battlegrounds	I-Application
;	O
this	O
prototype	O
,	O
which	O
applied	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
of	O
previous	O
Titanfall	B-Application
games	O
in	O
a	O
battle	O
royale	O
format	O
,	O
was	O
considered	O
very	O
successful	O
and	O
the	O
studio	O
decided	O
to	O
expand	O
this	O
model	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
designers	O
decided	O
that	O
having	O
the	O
pilotable	O
Titans	O
(	O
large	O
mecha	O
)	O
from	O
their	O
previous	O
games	O
would	O
not	O
work	O
well	O
in	O
a	O
battle-royale	O
setting	O
and	O
instead	O
focused	O
on	O
creating	O
strong	O
character	O
classes	O
which	O
felt	O
appropriate	O
for	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
found	O
that	O
some	O
maneuverability	O
features	O
of	O
prior	O
Titanfall	B-Application
titles	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
wall-running	O
,	O
would	O
make	O
gameplay	O
too	O
challenging	O
in	O
a	O
battle	O
royale	O
format	O
,	O
as	O
identifying	O
the	O
direction	O
of	O
threats	O
would	O
be	O
too	O
difficult	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
CEO	B-Application
Vince	O
Zampella	O
told	O
VentureBeat	O
that	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
,	O
as	O
a	O
live-service	O
and	O
free-to-play	O
battle-royale	O
game	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
new	O
challenge	O
for	O
the	O
studio	O
and	O
represented	O
a	O
new	O
way	O
for	O
them	O
of	O
developing	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Design	O
director	O
Mackey	O
McCandlish	O
also	O
stated	O
that	O
with	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
,	O
they	O
were	O
looking	O
to	O
challenge	O
the	O
conventions	O
of	O
the	O
still	O
relatively	O
young	O
battle-royale	O
genre	O
and	O
to	O
add	O
their	O
studio	O
's	O
unique	O
touch	O
to	O
that	O
class	O
of	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
choice	O
of	O
three-man	O
squads	B-Application
and	O
a	O
limit	O
of	O
20	O
teams	O
gave	O
players	O
on	O
average	O
a	O
greater	O
chance	O
to	O
win	O
and	O
also	O
felt	O
more	O
in	O
line	O
with	O
the	O
type	O
of	O
intimate	O
gameplay	O
they	O
were	O
hoping	O
to	O
achieve	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
McCandlish	O
claimed	O
that	O
the	O
studio	O
felt	O
the	O
need	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
"	O
defensible	O
space	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
battle-royale	O
mode	O
which	O
could	O
not	O
be	O
easily	O
imitated	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
communication	O
system	O
,	O
the	O
three-man	O
squads	B-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
smaller	O
playing	O
area	O
were	O
all	O
aligned	O
with	O
this	O
goal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Castro	O
recognized	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
featured	O
many	O
elements	O
which	O
players	O
would	O
expect	O
from	O
a	O
Titanfall	B-Application
franchise	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
lacked	O
core	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
Titans	O
,	O
Pilots	O
and	O
a	O
single-player	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
it	O
had	O
already	O
been	O
reported	O
that	O
Respawn	O
was	O
working	O
on	O
Titanfall	B-Application
3	O
from	O
a	O
source	B-Application
at	O
the	O
studio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
therefore	O
decided	O
that	O
attempting	O
to	O
market	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
series	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
difficult	O
and	O
would	O
risk	O
alienating	O
Titanfall	B-Application
fans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Concerned	O
that	O
a	O
standard	O
six-month	O
marketing	O
campaign	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
have	O
generated	O
negative	O
publicity	O
from	O
disgruntled	O
Titanfall	B-Application
fans	O
,	O
Castro	O
claims	O
they	O
eventually	O
took	O
inspiration	O
from	O
musical	O
artist	O
Beyoncé	O
whose	O
release	O
of	O
her	O
self-titled	O
album	O
came	O
as	O
a	O
surprise	O
to	O
fans	O
—	O
a	O
strategy	O
which	O
proved	O
financially	O
successful	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wanting	O
to	O
generate	O
some	O
buzz	O
about	O
this	O
new	O
product	O
before	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
studio	O
secretly	O
arranged	O
for	O
about	O
100	O
social	O
media	O
influencers	O
to	O
travel	O
to	O
their	O
studio	O
to	O
try	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
then	O
instructed	O
them	O
to	O
"	O
tease	O
"	O
news	O
of	O
it	O
on	O
their	O
social	O
media	O
accounts	O
during	O
halftime	O
of	O
the	O
Super	O
Bowl	O
LIII	O
,	O
the	O
day	O
before	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
formal	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
CEO	B-Application
Vince	O
Zampella	O
felt	O
the	O
approach	O
was	O
"	O
gross	O
"	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Castro	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
found	O
it	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
the	O
infamous	O
Fyre	O
Festival	O
"	O
hype	O
"	O
which	O
later	O
turned	O
out	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
fraudulent	O
event	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
as	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
was	O
already	O
ready	O
for	O
release	O
at	O
this	O
point	O
,	O
Castro	O
felt	O
the	O
approach	O
was	O
an	O
appropriate	O
marketing	O
strategy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
built	O
using	O
a	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
Source	B-Application
engine	I-Application
;	O
Source	B-Application
had	O
previously	O
been	O
used	O
for	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
however	O
for	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
several	O
necessary	O
adjustments	O
to	O
allow	O
for	O
the	O
increased	O
draw	O
distances	O
and	O
the	O
large	O
game	O
map	O
were	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
is	O
believed	O
to	O
be	O
pushing	O
at	O
the	O
technological	O
limits	O
of	O
its	O
game	O
engine	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
compromises	O
on	O
dynamic	O
display	B-General_Concept
resolution	I-General_Concept
,	O
with	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
the	O
image	O
and	O
frame	O
rate	O
suffering	O
particularly	O
on	O
console	O
versions	O
and	O
on	O
lower-end	O
PC	O
devices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
launch	O
,	O
McCoy	O
confirmed	O
there	O
were	O
plans	O
to	O
implement	O
cross-platform	B-Application
play	I-Application
to	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
future	O
,	O
though	O
claimed	O
that	O
game	O
progression	O
and	O
in-game	O
purchases	O
cannot	O
be	O
transferred	O
across	O
systems	O
due	O
to	O
hardware	O
limitations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
McCoy	O
has	O
also	O
expressed	O
the	O
desire	O
to	O
eventually	O
bring	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
to	O
iOS	B-Application
,	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
anonymous	O
reports	O
,	O
Tencent	O
Games	O
is	O
working	O
with	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
to	O
bring	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
to	O
China	O
,	O
as	O
partnering	O
with	O
a	O
local	O
Chinese	O
firm	O
is	O
a	O
requirement	O
for	O
Western	O
media	O
companies	O
wishing	O
to	O
make	O
their	O
products	O
legally	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
established	O
a	O
new	O
Vancouver	O
,	O
British	O
Columbia	O
,	O
studio	O
,	O
within	O
the	O
EA	O
Vancouver	O
campus	O
,	O
dedicated	O
to	O
supporting	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
in	O
May	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
June	O
2020	O
EA	O
Play	O
presentation	O
,	O
Respawn	O
announced	O
that	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
would	O
be	O
brought	O
to	O
the	O
Steam	B-Application
storefront	O
for	O
Windows	O
players	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
to	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
by	O
late	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
support	O
cross-platform	B-Application
play	I-Application
across	O
all	O
supported	O
platforms	O
on	O
these	O
releases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cross-platform	B-Application
play	I-Application
was	O
introduced	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
the	O
Aftermarket	O
Collection	O
Event	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
blog	O
post	O
by	O
Respawn	O
in	O
late	O
October	O
2020	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
Steam	B-Application
version	O
will	O
launch	O
on	O
November	O
4	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
as	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
season	O
7	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
was	O
delayed	O
to	O
March	O
9	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Panic	O
Button	O
,	O
known	O
for	O
their	O
Switch	O
ports	O
of	O
the	O
DOOM	B-Application
series	I-Application
and	O
Rocket	B-Application
League	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
also	O
confirmed	O
that	O
mobile	O
launches	O
on	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
were	O
in	O
development	O
in	O
collaboration	O
with	O
a	O
Chinese	O
mobile	O
company	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
April	O
2021	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
mobile	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
titled	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Mobile	I-Application
,	O
and	O
would	O
begin	O
beta	O
testing	O
in	O
the	O
coming	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2021	O
,	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
was	O
hacked	O
by	O
individuals	O
wishing	O
to	O
draw	O
attention	O
to	O
persistent	O
problems	O
with	O
cheating	O
in	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
series	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
unaddressed	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
and	O
Respawn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Large	O
banners	B-Device
pointed	O
players	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
to	O
a	O
website	O
outlining	O
their	O
concerns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2022	O
,	O
Respawn	O
announced	O
that	O
a	O
native	O
version	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
was	O
"	O
coming	O
very	O
soon	O
...	O
"	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
introduce	O
new	O
features	O
specifically	O
for	O
the	O
next	O
generation	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Mobile	I-Application
is	O
set	O
to	O
release	O
on	O
May	O
17	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
devices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
and	O
developed	O
by	O
Chinese	O
company	O
Lightspeed	O
and	O
Quantum	O
Studios	O
,	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Tencent	O
and	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
PUBG	B-Application
Mobile	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
launch	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
seen	O
as	O
a	O
potential	O
esport	O
competition	O
,	O
and	O
Respawn	O
had	O
anticipated	O
establishing	O
events	O
once	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
been	O
established	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
early	O
as	O
March	O
2019	O
,	O
various	O
esport	O
team	O
sponsors	O
began	O
to	O
assemble	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
teams	O
for	O
these	O
competitions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
such	O
event	O
was	O
the	O
EXP	O
Pro-Am	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Exhibition	O
,	O
run	O
on	O
July	O
11	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
alongside	O
the	O
2019	O
ESPY	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
and	O
EA	O
announced	O
the	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
Global	O
Series	O
in	O
December	O
2019	O
,	O
consisting	O
of	O
several	O
online	B-Application
events	O
and	O
twelve	O
live	O
events	O
during	O
2020	O
with	O
a	O
total	O
prize	O
pool	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Global	O
Series	O
follows	O
a	O
similar	O
approach	O
as	O
Fortnite	B-Application
Battle	I-Application
Royale	I-Application
by	O
using	O
multiple	O
tiers	O
of	O
events	O
to	O
qualify	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
will	O
qualify	O
for	O
the	O
Global	O
Series	O
through	O
Online	B-Application
Tournaments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
for	O
most	O
platforms	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
;	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
version	O
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
publications	O
,	O
including	O
Destructoid	O
,	O
Game	O
Informer	O
,	O
GamesRadar+	O
,	O
and	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
,	O
called	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
takes	O
on	O
the	O
battle	O
royale	O
genre	O
thus	O
far	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
worthy	O
challenger	O
to	O
Fortnite	B-Application
Battle	I-Application
Royale	I-Application
dominance	O
of	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
lauded	O
the	O
combat	O
in	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Destructoid	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
gunplay	O
as	O
the	O
best	O
they	O
had	O
experienced	O
in	O
a	O
battle	O
royale	O
thus	O
far	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
they	O
felt	O
let	O
down	O
that	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
mechanics	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
Titanfall	B-Application
games	O
were	O
not	O
present	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Polygon	O
's	O
Khee	O
Hoon	O
Chan	O
opined	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
rendered	O
voice	O
chat	O
with	O
strangers	O
largely	O
unnecessary	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
emblematic	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
accessibility	O
and	O
astuteness	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
praise	O
for	O
the	O
perceived	O
diversity	O
of	O
its	O
playable	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Awards	O
Online	B-Application
Game	I-Application
of	O
the	O
Year	O
NAVGTR	O
Awards	O
Costume	O
Design	O
Gameplay	O
Design	O
,	O
New	O
IP	O
Game	O
,	O
Original	O
Action	O
Pégases	O
Awards	O
2020	O
Best	O
International	O
Game	O
Game	O
Developers	O
Choice	O
Awards	O
Best	O
Technology	O
SXSW	O
Gaming	O
Awards	O
Trending	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Animation	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Multiplayer	O
16th	O
British	O
Academy	O
Games	O
Awards	O
Evolving	O
Game	O
Multiplayer	O
Famitsu	O
Dengeki	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2019	O
Best	O
Online	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Best	O
Shooter	O
18th	O
Annual	O
G.A.N.G.	O
</s>
<s>
Eight	O
hours	O
after	O
its	O
launch	O
,	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
surpassed	O
one	O
million	O
unique	O
players	O
,	O
and	O
reached	O
2.5	O
million	O
unique	O
players	O
within	O
24	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
the	O
first	O
month	O
of	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
made	O
$92	O
million	O
in	O
revenue	O
across	O
all	O
platforms	O
,	O
the	O
highest	O
amount	O
earned	O
by	O
any	O
free-to-play	O
game	O
during	O
its	O
month	O
of	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
news	O
and	O
popularity	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
spread	O
,	O
analysts	O
saw	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
something	O
to	O
challenge	O
the	O
dominance	O
of	O
Fortnite	B-Application
Battle	I-Application
Royale	I-Application
,	O
and	O
by	O
February	O
8	O
,	O
2019	O
—	O
four	O
days	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
—	O
EA	O
had	O
seen	O
its	O
largest	O
growth	O
in	O
stock	O
value	O
since	O
2014	O
on	O
the	O
basis	O
of	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
sudden	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2019	O
,	O
EA	O
told	O
investors	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
8	O
to	O
10	O
million	O
players	O
a	O
week	O
and	O
also	O
credited	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
with	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
recent	O
upturn	O
in	O
live	O
services	O
earnings	O
as	O
their	O
Q1	O
2020	O
financial	O
results	O
exceeded	O
expectations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
season	O
3	O
in	O
October	O
2019	O
,	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
reached	O
a	O
playerbase	O
of	O
70	O
million	O
people	O
internationally	O
and	O
is	O
believed	O
to	O
have	O
earned	O
$45	O
million	O
in	O
that	O
month	O
alone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2021	O
,	O
EA	O
's	O
CFO	O
,	O
Blake	O
Jorgensen	O
,	O
confirmed	O
that	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
has	O
surpassed	O
$1	O
billion	O
in	O
revenue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
April	O
2021	O
,	O
right	O
before	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
9th	O
season	O
,	O
Respawn	O
announced	O
that	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
had	O
reached	O
a	O
playerbase	O
of	O
over	O
100	O
million	O
people	O
and	O
was	O
expected	O
to	O
pull	O
in	O
$500	O
million	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
August	O
11	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
broke	O
its	O
all-time	O
record	O
for	O
number	O
of	O
consecutive	O
players	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
with	O
510	O
,	O
286	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
stat-tracking	O
database	O
Steamcharts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
resulted	O
in	O
a	O
negative	O
backlash	O
from	O
the	O
player	O
community	O
and	O
industry	O
journalists	O
,	O
particularly	O
on	O
Reddit	B-Application
,	O
where	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
Apex	B-Application
Legends	I-Application
community	O
forum	O
traded	O
insults	O
with	O
developers	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
the	O
increasingly	O
strong	O
language	O
being	O
used	O
by	O
both	O
parties	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Respawn	O
Entertainment	O
CEO	B-Application
Vince	O
Zampella	O
later	O
apologized	O
for	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
"	O
crossing	O
a	O
line	O
with	O
their	O
comments	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
also	O
defending	O
that	O
they	O
stood	O
up	O
for	O
themselves	O
against	O
alleged	O
death	O
threats	O
and	O
insults	O
aimed	O
at	O
their	O
family	O
members	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Around	O
July	O
4	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
unknown	O
agents	O
appeared	O
to	O
have	O
broken	O
EA	O
and	O
Respawn	O
's	O
server	O
security	O
as	O
to	O
change	O
in-game	O
messages	O
to	O
point	O
to	O
a	O
website	O
that	O
purportedly	O
was	O
trying	O
to	O
"	O
Save	O
Titanfall	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
site	O
and	O
messages	O
spoke	O
of	O
the	O
weak	O
security	O
that	O
both	O
Titanfall	B-Application
and	O
Titanfall	B-Application
2	I-Application
servers	O
had	O
,	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
games	O
becoming	O
unplayable	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
other	O
hackers	O
using	O
denial	O
of	O
service	O
attacks	O
to	O
bring	O
down	O
the	O
servers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
community-led	O
investigation	O
determined	O
that	O
the	O
owners	O
of	O
the	O
website	O
were	O
directly	O
involved	O
in	O
hacking	O
the	O
Apex	O
servers	O
were	O
also	O
behind	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
denial	O
attacks	O
on	O
the	O
Titanfall	B-Application
servers	O
as	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
false	O
flag	O
to	O
get	O
Respawn	O
to	O
bring	O
back	O
the	O
cancelled	O
Titanfall	B-Application
Online	B-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
