During its earnings call for the second quarter of FY 2025, Electronic Arts indicated that a sequel to Apex Legends is unlikely. EA CEO Andrew Wilson addressed inquiries about a possible “Apex 2.0,” suggesting that follow-up versions of live service games rarely achieve the same level of success as their initial releases. He emphasized the company’s commitment to enhancing the experience for existing Apex Legends players through ongoing seasonal updates.
Apex Legends Performs Below Expectations in Q2 2024
EA’s recent Q2 2025 earnings call revealed record net bookings of $2.079 billion (approximately Rs. 17,480 crore) for the quarter. This strong performance was largely attributed to successful launches within the EA Sports lineup, including College Football 25, Madden 25, and EA Sports FC 25. However, Wilson disclosed that Apex Legends did not meet performance expectations following the introduction of Season 22.
According to Wilson, the franchise needs significant adjustments to re-engage its player base and foster growth. He remarked, “Following changes to the Battle Pass construct, we did not see the lift in monetization we had expected,” during the call.
Wilson further noted, “In the highly competitive free-to-play FPS market, brand strength, a loyal core player base, and superior mechanics are increasingly crucial,” demonstrating Apex’s value as a strong franchise and an industry mainstay.
He added, “To achieve significant growth and re-engagement, large systemic changes are essential. We will concentrate on player retention and enhancing content available to our global community while exploring more innovative changes in due course.”
Apex Legends 2 Unlikely to Materialize
During the Q&A segment of the earnings call, Wilson appeared to dismiss the notion of developing Apex Legends 2. When asked about the necessity for a complete overhaul rather than an incremental update, he reiterated that EA aims to deliver continuous updates and introduce creative elements to the current game rather than pursuing a new version.
“Historically, in the context of large-scale live service games, sequel versions seldom match the success of their predecessors,” Wilson stated. “Our primary goal now is to continue supporting our global player base and provide innovative content each season, without requiring players to abandon their previous progress or investments within the existing ecosystem,” he elaborated.
Wilson expressed skepticism about the need for a “separate” gaming experience to re-engage players. He noted, “It’s never ideal to put our global community in a position where they must choose between their past investments and future innovations. Thus, our focus will remain on enhancing the core experience, which is evident as we progress through our seasons.”
Apex Legends Season 22
Since its launch in 2019, Apex Legends has maintained a dedicated player community but has seen a decline in active players over the past five years. In August, EA introduced Season 22, featuring new modes, a fresh map, and an improved anti-cheat system.
Despite the addition of these new features, net bookings for Apex Legends fell short of EA’s initial forecasts in Q2 2025, even after the company extended free access to the Season 22 Battle Pass throughout the initial half of the season. Consequently, EA has revised its projections for the remainder of FY 2025 to account for lower-than-expected engagement levels.
Despite these challenges for Apex Legends, EA affirmed that it is on track to achieve mid-single-digit growth for its primary live service titles.
