Apex Legends Surpasses $3.4 Billion in Revenue, Solidifying Its Place Among Gaming Giants

Electronic Arts (EA) recently announced that its free-to-play battle royale game, Apex Legends, has generated $3.4 billion in revenue to date. This impressive figure not only underscores Apex Legends' status as a major contender in the free-to-play market but also places it among the most successful video games of all time.

Apex Legends was launched in 2019 by Respawn Entertainment, the developer behind the Titanfall series. Although the game debuted with little initial fanfare, it quickly gained traction due to its free-to-play model, fast-paced gameplay, tactical depth, and memorable characters. Maintaining a live-service game through regular content updates has been a crucial factor in its success, and Respawn has largely succeeded in this area. Currently, Apex Legends is in its 21st season, with no signs of slowing down.

During EA's Q4 and 2024 fiscal year earnings call, it was revealed that Apex Legends has amassed $3.4 billion in net bookings since its launch in February 2019. This information was detailed in the full document outlining the earnings call, with a quote from EA CEO Andrew Wilson stating, "Since its surprise, smash-hit release in 2019, the HD title Apex Legends has surpassed $3.4 billion in lifetime net bookings." The CEO also made the controversial statement about potentially incorporating in-game ads for AAA titles during this call.

EA's CEO Confirms Ongoing Investment in Apex Legends

The use of the "net bookings" metric is notable, as it differs from direct revenue. Net bookings account for deductions and fees from revenue, so the total revenue is likely even higher than $3.4 billion. Considering that the game monetizes solely through cosmetics, Apex Legends has generated a staggering amount of money for EA, and Wilson remains committed to further investment in "broadening the audience by building upon the epic characters of this world that extend beyond the current Battle Royale." With Season 21 of Apex Legends introducing new cosmetics, artifacts, and more, the game’s popularity shows no sign of waning.

Despite experiencing some slowdown earlier this year, Apex Legends' strong position in the free-to-play market appears solid. With over 300,000 concurrent players daily, it is undoubtedly one of EA's most significant intellectual properties. Respawn is also keen on incorporating player feedback, as the game’s latest Upheaval season will feature the return of a Limited Time Mode that was highly requested by fans, as well as Solos, which will replace Duos until June 24. Over the past year, Respawn has also made Apex Legends more accessible to newcomers with the Three Strikes and Straight Shot limited-time events.