Apex Legends Mobile
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Apex Legends Mobileâs flop can definitely be traced to several key factors, and while Tencent is a huge player in the mobile gaming space, thereâs more to the story, especially when you consider the role of EAâs corporate practices and their failure to commit to long-term player satisfaction.
1. Capitalism: Short-Term Profit Over Long-Term Player Satisfaction
EA, at the core, is driven by profit. Their goal isn't necessarily to make the game thrive in the long term but to monetize it as quickly and effectively as possible. Apex Legends Mobile was developed with the expectation that it would capture the audience and give EA a chunk of the mobile gaming market, which PUBG Mobile had already been dominating for years. However, EA didnât treat Apex Legends Mobile as a game to nurture but as a cash cow to milk, similar to their other franchises like FIFA.
2. Lack of Commitment and Attention to the Mobile Experience
While Apex Legends on PC/console thrived with its unique gameplay and hero-based mechanics, the mobile version struggled. The game didn't feel like it had the same attention to detail, and while there were some mobile-specific adjustments, it didnât tap into the nuances of the mobile market. EA and the devs didn't take the time to adapt the gameâs controls and experience to mobile-first design principles, which are necessary for a successful mobile game.
The controls were clunky, the optimizations weren't great, and the game didnât quite hit that sweet spot of being accessible, fun, and rewarding on smaller screens. It felt like they took the existing game and ported it over without considering how the player experience would differ on mobile.
3. Tencentâs Influence and the Battle of Interests
Tencentâs influence in the gaming marketâespecially through its involvement with PUBG Mobileâplays a role in this, but itâs less about them directly sabotaging Apex Legends Mobile and more about how EA treated the mobile version. Tencent's influence with PUBG Mobile was mostly about getting the game into the hands of as many people as possible with the right optimizations and a strong mobile-first focus. They pushed for a game that felt designed for mobile, making it snappy, fluid, and addictive. EA, on the other hand, treated Apex Legends Mobile more like an afterthought, with the expectation that brand recognition and Apex's PC/console success would just transfer over without real adjustments for mobile.
4. The Pressure of Profitability Over Player Engagement
While devs at EA likely had passion and care for their work, itâs the capitalist machine that can undermine such efforts. EA isnât known for its care for players' long-term satisfaction; instead, they focus on what can make them the most money now. This led to quick monetization strategiesâpay-to-win elements, poorly implemented microtransactions, and aggressive pushes for in-app purchases. Rather than investing the resources to make Apex Legends Mobile a community-driven, long-term success, EA opted for the greedy route and chased the same monetization model that worked with PUBG Mobile.
When you treat your audience as cash cows rather than as gamers, eventually players catch on and start to feel unappreciated. This is why games like Apex Legends Mobile, despite having great mechanics and a strong following on PC/console, failed to build the mobile player base they needed to succeed.
5. Poor Execution of "Mobile Game" Features
Mobile games require quick, easy-to-learn controls, efficient matchmaking, bite-sized gameplay loops, and optimized performance. While Apex Legends is an excellent game on PC/console, it wasnât built with these aspects in mind when transitioning to mobile. PUBG Mobile, on the other hand, had Tencentâs attention to detail and focus on mobile gaming culture. They perfected the touchscreen controls, fine-tuned the matchmaking system, and made the game feel like it belonged on mobile. This contributed to PUBG Mobileâs longevity in the market and its continuing success.
EA didnât bother doing the same for Apex Legends Mobile. The game lacked polish, with frequent crashes, slow updates, and monetization that put off a lot of players. In contrast, PUBG Mobile offered a more mobile-optimized experience that felt smooth and accessible, making it easier for the casual gamer to jump in and out.
6. Over-reliance on Branding, Not Innovation
Another issue with Apex Legends Mobile was that EA relied too much on the Apex brand rather than innovating for the mobile space. Players were looking for something freshâmaybe something that felt like Apex but that wasnât just a mobile port of a PC/console game. They wanted the same depth of strategy and excitement, but tailored for mobile play. EA didnât do that. Instead, they slapped their branding on the mobile version and pushed out a basic mobile game without leveraging the unique strengths of the platform.
In contrast, PUBG Mobile and other successful mobile games like Free Fire worked hard to innovate and adapt to mobile. They didnât just carry their base game onto mobile; they reshaped it for the experience, making sure players felt like they were playing a game built for that platform.
Conclusion: The Fallout of EA's Corporate Model
EAâs short-term, profit-driven mentality led to the downfall of Apex Legends Mobile. It wasnât about creating a mobile game that worked for playersâit was about chasing the profits seen in PUBG Mobile. They didnât care about the community; they cared about tapping into the mobile market quickly and aggressively.
PUBG Mobile survived and flourished because Tencent understood how to make a successful mobile gameâadapt and optimize for the platform, keeping player experience at the forefront of their priorities.
As for Apex Legends Mobile, EAâs corporate decisions and their failure to adapt to the mobile market led to its demise, and itâs another example of how greedy business practices often override player experience. And in the end, itâs players who feel the brunt of that, as their loyalty is traded for profit margins that leave them feeling empty-handed.
Revenue Aspect: The Numbers Don't Lie
Letâs talk cold, hard numbers. PUBG Mobile made more revenue in one day than Apex Legends Mobile made in a whole month. Thatâs not a typo. While Apex Mobile scraped by with $40 million since launch, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) was laughing all the way to the bank, pulling in $30 million each month. So, what went wrong for Apex Mobile? Well, itâs about the revenue model, and when you see the difference, it's pretty clear why PUBG Mobile and CODM are thriving while Apex Mobile is struggling to keep up.
Apex Legends Mobileâs "Lottery System"
Hereâs the thing: Apex Mobileâs monetization strategy relied heavily on a "lottery" system for microtransactions, and thatâs a huge turnoff. Players didnât have the option to directly buy event skins or cosmetics that they wanted. Instead, they had to gamble for it via lootboxes, much like trying to pull a rare heirloom in Apex Legends by opening hundreds of lootboxes. Sure, you might eventually get something good, but the odds were stacked against you.
This kind of system breeds frustration, especially when players canât even spend their money on the skins they want outright. Instead of a straightforward transaction, theyâre essentially forced to take part in a lotteryâand that's not very appealing when you're not getting what you want.
PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile: The King of Direct Purchases
In contrast, PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile went for a more user-friendly, player-driven approach. Both games have a direct purchase model for skins, weapons, and other cosmetics. If you see a skin you want, you can buy itâno lootbox gambling required. Itâs straightforward, transparent, and most importantly, itâs what players want.
This is especially important for mobile games, where the attention span is shorter, and players want instant gratification. A battle pass, for example, or direct skin purchases, ensures players feel like they're spending their money wisely, knowing exactly what theyâre getting.
The Missed Opportunity
But Apex Mobile? They missed out on an opportunity to cater to the playersâ desire for direct control over their spending. Instead of offering a fair, transparent, and player-friendly purchase system, EA decided to go with the lootbox modelâone that alienated a huge chunk of the potential player base. And as weâve seen time and time again, gambling mechanics like these turn players away rather than pulling them in.
As a result, Apex Legends Mobile couldnât compete with the steady, reliable revenue streams generated by PUBG Mobile and CODM. Both of those games offered consistent rewards and didnât trap players in a âpay-to-hope-for-the-bestâ system.
The Price of Not Understanding Your Audience
The bottom line is that EA didn't understand their audienceâs preferences, and instead of investing in a good player experience, they went for what they thought was a fast way to generate revenue. But all they did was alienate their fanbase with frustrating monetization systems that just werenât built for the mobile market.
In the end, PUBG Mobile and CODM made the right call: focus on the player. The money follows naturally when players enjoy the experience and feel like theyâre getting something worthwhile. Meanwhile, Apex Legends Mobile struggled to keep up because they tried to squeeze money out of players by making them gamble for the most basic cosmetics. It's clear where the true revenue liesâand itâs not in the lootbox lottery.
