Live service gaming has become critically important for today’s game publishers. Popular esport Apex Legends was a big part of Electronic Arts’ fourth quarter success, as live services driven by it, FIFA, The Sims, and more were responsible for over 71% of the publisher’s business.

EA management remarked to shareholders, “Apex Legends is up over 40% for the year, taking it past the $2 billion milestone in lifetime net bookings. Season 12 finished yesterday and was the most successful ever.” EA remains incredibly bullish on Apex overall, noting that it’s going from “strength to strength” and the company intends to expand the property “in every dimension.”

With the grand finale of the 2022 Apex Legends Global Series happening this July, and EA’s mobile division having recently launched Apex Legends Mobile, there’s plenty of room for growth around the Apex property. The mobile version got off to a good start, reportedly taking the top spot for downloads on iPhone across 60 countries on launch day.

Additionally, given the momentum mobile esports is enjoying across the globe, EA is now in a position to further expand the Apex Legends esports ecosystem should it choose to leverage Apex Legends Mobile in that capacity. “While we don’t have firm plans for any esports right out of the gate, it is something that we will be working towards and actively considering on a continuous basis,” Senior director of product Myke Hoff explained.

In terms of viewership, Apex Legends is cementing itself as one of the top games to watch (per StreamHatchet), ahead of other battle royale games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite. Interpret’s New Media Measure® reveals considerable momentum for the game in recent quarters as well. During Q2 2021, 36% of esports and game video viewers in the US reported watching tournament matches, non-tournament matches, or videos about Apex Legends. By Q4, that figure had jumped up to 46%.

Rumors have been swirling that EA may be considering a TV series based on Apex in the future. As the property continues to soar in popularity, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this happen given how hot video game IP has become in video entertainment. At this rate, EA isn’t far off from its prediction that Apex could produce $1 billion annually.

Ready to level up your career? Check out Interpret’s Careers page for current openings and join our squad of Fun Scientists!