Four months after the announcement of a lengthy delay, Apex Legends is finally making its way to the Nintendo Switch, and the new release date is now just one week away! The long-anticipated release was originally expected to happen last year, but was delayed due to the challenges posed working during the pandemic.
The Delayed Apex Legends Nintendo Switch Release
A Nintendo Switch release for Apex Legends is something that many gamers have been calling for ever since the game’s original launch. As such, next week’s release has been a long time coming. The Switch port was first officially announced more than nine months ago, as part of an EA Play event. It was expected to launch alongside the game’s Steam version, on the 4th of November. However, shortly before that date arrived, Respawn announced that the Switch version of the game was being delayed into 2021.
At the time, Respawn explained that the studio needed more time; “in order to do justice to the game and make it into the great experience Switch players deserve,” and cited “unexpected new challenges” as the root cause. No doubt referring to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the shift to working remotely during lockdowns, etc. Fans continued to wait patiently for news until early last month, when Respawn finally announced a new release date; the 9th of March.
Coming next Tuesday, the Apex Legends Switch port will feature full cross-platform support. As a result, players will be able to play with anybody on any other platform. The launch comes following the recent start of Season 8, and as a result, Respawn plans to offer new Switch players a leg up; 30 free levels granted automatically to their Season 8 Battle Passes. Furthermore, for two weeks from the 9th of March, all players on Nintendo Switch will earn double XP. Newly announced today, players will also be able to get a limited-time Pathfinder skin.