EA working with Chinese partner to release Apex Legends on mobile

Apex Legends could be getting a mobile version in the near future.

EA Games reported it’s working with an unidentified Chinese partner to bring the game to mobile devices. The company also plans to release Apex on PC in the country. The information was revealed during EA’s Q3 earnings call, which took place yesterday.

“So, obviously, rolling mobile out in China, you need to have a partner,” said EA Games COO and CFO Blake Jorgensen. “And as we’ve said in the prepared remarks today that we’re working with a partner there and we’re very excited about the opportunity. That partner is also helping us develop a mobile Apex for the globe.” The company “will also do a PC version of Apex in China through that same partner,” according to Jorgensen.

Jorgensen also said that EA will seek associates in situations “where a partner can either increase the time to market, or help us in markets where we don’t necessarily have the ability to go to market ourselves, like China.”

EA CEO Andrew Wilson revealed that the company has a “kind of three-pronged strategy” for mobile games. The first aspect is the “underlying belief” that EA isn’t monetizing its games at the same level as “some of the best-of-breed inside the industry.” The second pillar in that strategy is “spectacular” intellectual property that has mobile appeal and application. The third prong is that the company will “continue to look at opportunities for partnership and acquisition.” Based on that strategy, “mobile continues to be a focus for us and we do believe there’s a growth opportunity ahead,” Wilson said.

Though EA didn’t name its partner, it’s possible to speculate on the mysterious company’s identity. EA works with Chinese company Tencent to release games such as FIFA Online 4 and Need for Speed Online, according to Daniel Ahmad, a senior analyst at Niko Partners. He speculates that the company could be the mysterious partner in question for Apex’s mobile port based on their existing relationship and EA’s plans to launch the game for PC in the country.

EA’s association with its unrevealed partner isn’t the first time a major company sided with a Chinese company to launch a mobile game. Ahmad mentioned that Activision joined forces with Tencent to release Call of Duty: Mobile and Blizzard did the same for Diablo: Immortal.

The company hasn’t announced an official release date for Apex’s mobile launch and the title isn’t featured heavily in EA’s projections for the immediate future. “We have not built a lot into our forecast for next year on that, because the timing is always uncertain,” Jorgensen said.