Released 4 February 2019 Developer Respawn Entertainment Publisher Electronic Arts
Apex Legends is a free team shooter in which squads of three, each player picking a 'Legend' with their own special abilities, fight on a large map until one squad is left. It is fast and movement-heavy, with a ping system that lets players coordinate without talking, and it is aimed at teenagers and adults.
How it makes money
Apex Legends is free to play and sells Apex Coins, from 500 coins (A$6.45) up to 10,000 coins plus a 1,500 bonus (A$125.95). Coins buy the seasonal Battle Pass, cosmetics in a rotating store, new Legends and Apex Packs, which are random bundles of three cosmetic items or crafting currency. Each season (about three months) has two Battle Passes of 60 levels; the Ultimate version is A$12.95 and Ultimate+ is A$25.45 per half-season on the Xbox store. A separate currency, Exotic Shards (10 for A$12.95), buys top-tier items. EA's official FAQ says nothing that gives a gameplay advantage is sold.
Free to play on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2; income is from Apex Coins, passes and Exotic Shards.
Each season has two passes of 60 levels. Premium, Ultimate (A$12.95) and Ultimate+ (A$25.45) tiers exist, with Ultimate adding instant rewards and Ultimate+ also skipping 10 levels. Battle Pass Stars come from completing challenges.
The store, passes and packs sell skins, emotes and similar items. EA's FAQ states that Apex Legends sells nothing that offers a gameplay advantage.
Apex Packs, random bundles of three cosmetic items or crafting currency, can be bought with Apex Coins as well as earned free. EA publishes the odds: at least one Epic or better item 24.8% of the time and a Legendary 7.4%. EA says Apex Packs are not available in all territories.
minor part of the gameApex Coins come in packs from 500 (A$6.45) to 10,000 plus 1,500 bonus (A$125.95); there are also Exotic Shards (premium), Crafting Metals and Legend Tokens (earned in play).
Items in the in-game Store rotate on a schedule, each half-season's Battle Pass ends, and themed events add limited cosmetics, such as the Blood Pact event in October 2026.
A live game with no end: new seasons of about three months, with new Legends, maps and events; the current season is Season 30, Marked.
An EA account and a constant internet connection are required. Apex Legends Mobile was shut down on 1 May 2023, and Respawn announced in January 2026 that the Switch version would end after Season 29.
minor part of the gameFairer alternatives
What it costs
| What | Where | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 Apex Coins (smallest pack) | Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$6.45 | Oct 2026 |
| 1,000 Apex Coins | Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$12.95 | Oct 2026 |
| 10,000 (+1,500 bonus) Apex Coins (largest pack) | Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$125.95 | Oct 2026 |
| Marked Ultimate Battle Pass (Split 2) One half of a season; a new pass is sold each half-season. |
Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$12.95 | Oct 2026 |
| Marked Ultimate+ Battle Pass (Split 2) Includes 10 levels unlocked and two extra Legendary skin variants. |
Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$25.45 | Oct 2026 |
| 10 Exotic Shards Premium currency for top-tier items; 80 (+30 bonus) shards is A$99.95. |
Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$12.95 | Oct 2026 |
Store prices change often and sales are common; we record the regular price on the date shown.
Reviews from across the web
Called it a well-made squad battle royale, praising its characters, its pinging communication system and its polished controls.
Thought the ping system changed how teams talk to each other in a game and recommended it as an excellent team battle royale.
Said it blends battle royale and hero shooter well and sets a high bar for free-to-play first-person shooters.
Felt the game smoothed out several rough spots of battle royale by borrowing ideas from other shooters.
Scores belong to the outlets that published them; follow the links to read the full reviews. Summaries are ours.
Age ratings
Age ratings judge content (violence, language, gambling themes). They say little about how hard a game pushes spending — that's what the badges above are for. About rating boards
Safety & parental controls
Players are matched into squads with strangers, with voice and text chat available, though the ping system lets players cooperate without talking. EA's terms require EA account holders to be at least 13 (or the minimum age where they live), with a parent reviewing the terms if they are under 18. EA child accounts cannot make purchases, and in some countries EA asks for an age check before premium currency can be bought in games with random-content mechanics. Platform parental controls (console and Steam) are the main way to limit chat and spending, and per EA a communication block set in Xbox parental controls also applies inside EA games.
Platforms & release
| Platform | Released | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 5 August 2025 | — |
| Nintendo Switch Reported as discontinued after Season 29 (announced January 2026); EA's July 2026 season notes list Switch 2 but not Switch |
9 March 2021 | — |
| PlayStation 5 | 29 March 2022 | — |
| PlayStation 4 | 4 February 2019 | — |
| Xbox Series X|S | 29 March 2022 | Store page ↗ |
| Xbox One | 4 February 2019 | — |
| Windows PC EA app, Steam and Epic Games Store |
4 February 2019 | Store page ↗ |
Facts last checked 22 October 2026. Sources: www.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.ea.com, help.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.xbox.com, store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, en.wikipedia.org, opencritic.com, www.metacritic.com. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.