Apex Legends Mobile numbers show possible reasons why game was axed

A new report has provided one of the possible reasons why Apex Legends Mobile was shut down by EA and Respawn Entertainment earlier this week.

The report, by industry analysis firm Niko Partners, shows that player engagement in Apex Legends Mobile dropped precipitously over the past few months, especially when compared with other similar mobile games from notable IP.

Niko’s Daniel Ahmad posted his findings on Twitter, revealing that just 0.68 percent of the applicable gamer population in Asia and the Middle East has played the game in the past three months. Niko specializes in the Asian markets, where mobile games are known to thrive.

While those who played did play for 4.5 hours per week, that’s markedly less than other games in the report, including Call of Duty Mobile, Free Fire, and PUBG Mobile. This low engagement rate likely had at least some part in the companies’ decision to shut it down.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, Respawn announced that it was shutting down the mobile version of its battle royale less than a year after it was initially released on May 17, 2022. The title included “mobile-first” exclusive characters that are not yet available in the base Apex game on console and PC.

“At Respawn, we aim to provide players with games that are consistently outstanding. Following a strong start, the content pipeline for Apex Legends Mobile has begun to fall short of that bar for quality, quantity, and cadence,” Respawn said. “It is for this reason, after months of working with our development partner, that we have made the mutual decision to sunset our mobile game. Although disappointing, we are proud of the game we launched, are grateful for the support of the Apex Legends community, and are confident that this is the right decision for players.”

Apex Mobile will be shutting down for good on May 1, and no refunds will be given for any purchases made with real-world money.

“Our love for the Apex universe and our players remains unchanged,” Respawn said. “We look forward to exploring this universe, its characters, and its stories along with you. In the meantime, we appreciate your continued support and patience as we navigate these next steps.”