Apex Legends revenue tumbles by 74% in two months
Apex Legends revenue tumbles by 74% in two months Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Apex Legends revenue tumbles by 74% in two months Re-pawn. News by Emma Kent Contributor Updated on 24 May 2019 99 comments As a surprise to almost no-one, it seems Apex Legends has been unable to maintain its explosive start, as the game's digital revenue has significantly dropped for the second month in a row. The stats come from Nielsen-owned market research firm SuperData, which reports the game has now entirely dropped off its top rankings list for earnings on console and PC. How bad's the damage? SuperData estimates Apex Legends earned $24m (£18.93m) in April, down nearly three quarters from its February launch month earnings of $92m (£72.58m). That's a mighty fall from grace, particularly considering SuperData believes Apex Legends had the strongest start for a free-to-play title of all time. The news may not be a shock to many: while we don't have an up-to-date figure on Apex Legends' player numbers, a major tell was its drop-off in Twitch viewing figures. Along with this, the first battle pass for Apex Legends generally underwhelmed players, and many in the community have complained about a lack of fresh content. Given EA's digital net bookings for the last quarter were largely driven by Apex Legends, this drop-off in earnings will be of major concern. Something that could significantly help Apex Legends in future, however, is its recently-announced mobile port, which should provide the game with a fresh market. It's an extremely profitable platform, too: according to mobile intelligence firm Sensor Tower, PUBG Mobile is estimated to have made $65m (£51m) in March alone. The drop in earnings is a real shame, as the core gameplay is well-crafted and innovative. In the meantime, Respawn's in something of a difficult position. Having committed to not over-working its devs by sticking to seasonal updates (an admirable move), it also risks losing players, and the lack of fresh cosmetics and engaging content is starting to hurt the game's revenues. Fortnite, meanwhile, is continually pushing out new updates and cosmetics - giving Epic huge player numbers and outrageous profits at the human cost of encouraging crunch at the studio. It's a lose-lose situation. Still, Apex Legends has the opportunity to win back some players (and profits) with the launch of season two, which is being unveiled at E3 in a little over two weeks. I guess if that fails, EA's going to need a new Lifeline of credit. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 5 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store