Apex Legends was released worldwide on February 4, 2019, as a free-to-play battle royale from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts.

Quick Scoop

  • Core release date: February 4, 2019, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows.
  • Type of game: Free-to-play hero shooter / battle royale set in the Titanfall universe.
  • Launch style: Shadow-dropped (announced and released almost at the same time), which helped it explode in popularity very quickly.

Platform timeline

  • Original release (PS4, Xbox One, PC): February 4, 2019.
  • Nintendo Switch version: March 9, 2021.
  • PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S versions: March 29, 2022, with enhanced performance and visuals.

Why that date still matters

  • The game’s surprise drop in early 2019 helped it stand out in a crowded battle royale market and quickly build a large player base.
  • Communities still celebrate February 4 as Apex’s “birthday,” marking each new year of content, seasons, and balance changes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.