Respawn Entertainment's multiplayer goliath, Apex Legends, continues to attract new players, with 27 seasons of content released so far. While the shooter remains a hit with FPS fans, the developer's ambitions to improve it mean that some platforms need to be left behind. If you regularly boot up the Apex Legends Nintendo Switch port, then your days are numbered, as Electronic Arts plans to shut it down on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Introduced in March 2021, the Nintendo Switch version of Apex Legends squeezes Respawn's hit battle royale game onto each Switch variant, for better or worse. This includes the Nintendo Switch Lite, and let me tell you straight: don't play this game on that handheld. But when August arrives, EA says in a recent blog post that "Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch. Future seasons of Apex Legends will continue to be available on Nintendo Switch 2."
After August 4, 2026, you won't be able to boot up Apex Legends on older Switch consoles anymore. Until then, players can still play the free Switch game, but the ability to purchase in-game currency is now removed. You may still spend any leftover currency still available through your in-game wallet, though.
If you own a Nintendo Switch 2, EA reassures players that "progress, purchases, and earnings are tied to their individual EA accounts. Everything that has been earned or purchased, including Apex Coins and cosmetics, will carry over to Nintendo Switch 2, even if you purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 after August 4, 2026." So, it's not all bad. Given how demanding Apex Legends is at the best of times, it's a miracle it ran on the previous handhelds to begin with.
Although I say "ran" in the loosest of terms. The Nintendo Switch 2 naturally offers a better experience thanks to its hardware upgrades, bringing performance closer to something like the Xbox Series S. The Switch 2 port keeps steady at 60fps, higher resolution textures, and supports the Switch 2's mouse functionality, too.
Meanwhile, EA reiterates that Apex Legends isn't going anywhere on other platforms. Citing a need to evolve the game's capabilities, the blog adds that "as we continue to evolve Apex Legends' content and technical foundation, our goal is to deliver a high-quality experience. Thanks to Nintendo's investment in the Nintendo Switch 2, the platform offers a great handheld experience for Apex Legends."
Are you still playing Apex Legends these days? Let us know over at the Pocket Tactics Discord server.