How Apex Legends was Made: A Respawn Entertainment Masterpiece
The wait was over, and when Electronic Arts (EA) announced Respawn Entertainment’s new battle royale game, Apex Legends, players and critics alike were left wanting more. The game’s premise was simple: a team-based FPS game set in the Titanfall universe with no Titans, but with cutting-edge abilities and a unique arsenal. But how did Respawn Entertainment, a relatively small game development studio, create a phenomenon like Apex Legends?
Early Development
Respawn Entertainment, founded in 2010, is known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise and the Titanfall series. In 2015, Apex Legends was born when the team began experimenting with a new battle royale game concept. The initial ideas revolved around a smaller map and a more focused gameplay experience compared to other battle royale games in the market.
Gameplay Conventions
Respawn wanted Apex Legends to have a unique twist on the typical battle royale formula. They combined Titanfall‘s fluid movement and gunplay mechanics with new abilities and characters. To set the game apart, they introduced Legendary cards, which grant players unique characteristics, abilities, and playstyles. They also designed the game to have a strong narrative focus, with a pre-game ceremony introducing the Legends and their motivations for being on the planet.
Setting and Lore
The game’s setting, the Outlands, serves as a hub for the Legends to arrive, fight, and die. Drawing inspiration from the Titanfall universe, the Outlands consists of a vast, abandoned city that is home to various factions. According to the game’s lore, the legends have been sent to the planet Apex Games, a popular entertainment tournament that features the best fighters from each team.
Design and Development Cycle
Respawn Entertainment invested over 4 years in development, with a team of around 45 people working on the game. From conceptualization to launch, the company developed and refined the game by using an iterative design process. Iterations involved playtesting and getting feedback from the community, which helped polish the game’s mechanics and balance.
<Table: Apex Legends Dev Timeline>
| Phase | Tasks | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptualization | Pitch, idea generation, and research | November 2015 – March 2016 |
| Design and Prototyping | Game world creation, character design, and gameplay balancing | April 2016 – June 2016 |
| Playtesting and Feedback | Community-driven playtesting and feedback gathering | June 2016 – December 2017 |
| Quality Assurance | Bug fixing and QA testing | January 2018 – August 2018 |
| Launch Preparation | Live servers setup, marketing, and analytics tracking | September 2018 – March 2019 |
Launch and Reception
February 4, 2019, saw the game’s launch, and as players dove into the world of the Apex Legends, the game left critics and players alike in awe of its sheer polish and addictive gameplay mechanics. Apex Legends shot to the top of the charts, dethroning Fortnite and PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds (PUBG), respectively.
Impact
Since its release, Apex Legends has become a cultural phenomenon:
• 100 million registered players: Within 8 weeks of launching, Apex Legends reached over 100 million registered players.
• $923 million revenue: The game exceeded its revenue expectations, generating nearly a billion dollars in just 3 weeks.
• Esports and competition: Apex Legends entered the competitive scene, with large-scale tournaments and a growing viewer base.
FAQs
What is Apex Legends?
Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game set in the Titanfall universe developed by Respawn Entertainment.
Who can play Apex Legends?
Apex Legends is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Does Apex Legends have a single-player component?
No, Apex Legends is a purely multiplayer game, focusing on competitive 8-player matches.
Does Apex Legends have cross-platform play?
No, Apex Legends does not offer cross-platform play, with separate games and account systems for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Can players buy Apex Legends?
While the game is free to download, there are in-game purchases, including cosmetic items and the Apex Predator tier.
How much storage space does Apex Legends need?
Apex Legends on PC requires approximately 30-50 GB of storage space, depending on your chosen quality settings.
Will Apex Legends introduce a narrative campaign?
Respawn Entertainment has not ruled out exploring single-player content in the future. For now, the focus remains on online competitive play.
Can apex Legends players form teams?
Absolutely! Apex Legends encourages team composition, strategy, and communication among the three-person teams.
Stay tuned for more updates on Apex Legends and its ongoing development through community engagement and Respawn’s communication.