Apex Legends CEO says a 'large systemic change is needed' after EA failed to meet monetisation targets

If you listened to EA's earnings call yesterday, you may have noticed that there was a lot going on about Apex Legends' new battle pass.

Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, says that "Apex legends launched with a significant number of new features, both for casual and experienced players, including new modes, a brand new map, and anti-cheat software." "Following the changes to the Battle Pass construct, we didn't see the lift in revenue we had anticipated."

EA does not go into detail on how much money it made with the revamped battle pass, but the fact that it did not earn as much as expected is what matters.

Wilson says that "two things have become obvious in the free-to play FPS category." Apex has proved to be a stalwart in the industry and a compelling franchise, especially in a competitive environment where brand, a core player base and high-quality gameplay mechanics are more important than ever. Second, a large-scale, systematic change is needed to drive significant growth, re-engagement and engagement. We will continue to work on retention and breadth in service of our worldwide community as we strive for more significant, innovative future changes."

Apex Legends players will not be overjoyed by the "large systematic changes" that are coming. This is because Apex Legends already had a "improved" battle pass structure (and it was very unpopular). It introduced two 60-tier battle passes each season, effectively splitting the 110-tier battle pass in two, as well as a change in the premium battle pass that meant that tracks were only available with real money. (This was later reversed.)

One player says, "It's time to recolour all the recolours. And do a triple split for the battle pass." "It's a perfect plan!"

It's not just about the Battle Pass, but also a stagnant player base.

Stuart Canfield, executive vice president and chief financial officer, says: "As we move forward, we've adjusted the rest FY '25 in order to reflect lower engagement than we expected compared to our prior guidance." "As Andrew mentioned we are committed to providing new experiences for our player, with a focus on enhancing engagement and retention."

It's difficult to attract and keep new players, says another player. "I couldn't convince any of my friends that they should play for more than 20 minutes, because of how quickly they die to experienced players at high levels."

I can say from experience that returning to a game after a long absence only to be beaten by experienced players is not fun. It also does not inspire me, as I am good at so many other FPSs, to continue and improve. It's a bad attitude, but I am only human.