The hot mobile FPS Apex Legends Mobile is shutting down on May 1st, 2023 after barely a year on the market. Respawn and EA today announced the move, citing content development issues as the cause of its closure.
The game launched last year alongside a Nintendo Switch pro edition and was developed by Tencent’s Lightspeed and Quantum Studios and Respawn Entertainment. It won Apple’s 2022 Game of the Year and was a top seller on both iOS and Android.
It’s a tough blow for the community and the developers. Many players are taking to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the decision, and many are hoping for a refund.
In a blog post, EA and Respawn said that the team’s recent updates have fallen short of “quality, quantity, and cadence” in keeping up with Apex Legends Mobile’s standards. It added that “the team is committed to ensuring the mobile experience remains at the highest possible standard.”
While this will mean that Apex Legends Mobile is no longer available, it doesn’t necessarily impact the PC and console versions of the game. Those who have already spent money in the game won’t receive refunds, but existing virtual currency balances will remain available to spend until the game shuts down on May 1st.
It’s also worth noting that this announcement comes shortly after EA announced that it’s putting the development of Battlefield mobile to a stop as well. This decision represents a reorganization of EA’s game studios, and it’s similar to Activision’s strategy with the Call of Duty series. It wants to rely on a single engine and unified player universe to make it easier to support cross-platform play across the franchise.
