Apex Legends delivers a squad-based battle royale experience with a uniquely Respawn flavor. Players will select from one of eight Legends - each with their own unique abilities and playstyles - and the last team standing wins. Combatants can choose from unique characters like Bloodhound, the tracker who can see recent enemy activity on the map, or Lifeline, a battlefield medic who can shield teammates and bring them back from the brink of death. Balanced squads and teamwork are critical, as each Legend is easy to pick up and learn, but challenging to master.

Apex Legends showcases several new genre-leading innovations, starting before players even start the match. Once players are ready to begin, they’ll choose their drop point with the Jumpmaster system, giving each squad full control over exactly where they drop in. Is it smarter to head straight for the most valuable loot and risk early conflict with other teams, or make for one of the outlying areas to plot an attack and let other squads pick each other off?

The Apex Legends Global Series is comprised of online and live events for PC players who will compete for a prize purse of more than $3 million. The Apex Legends Global Series will initially feature 12 global live events, either operated by EA and Respawn or produced by notable esports tournament organizers PGL and GLL. Online competition will be powered by Battlefy with registration for the first event opening in early January.

“Competition is at the heart of Apex Legends,” said Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn Entertainment. “We expect that esports will play a big role in the future of Apex Legends and it all starts here, with the Apex Legends Global Series. We look forward to seeing who, out of our millions of players, will become true legends of the arena.”

The Apex Legends Global Series is an inclusive, open ecosystem created to make stars of all players. Residents of one of the more than 60 eligible countries who meet minimum age, PC system requirements, and other eligibility requirements can compete. The competitive journey for many will start with online competition, with competitors potentially advancing to live, regional Challenger Events and global Premier Events. Players will earn Apex Legends Global Series Points for their performances in online, and certain live events, and those atop the standings will be invited to the four Apex Legends Global Series Majors, the highest competitive live event tier.

“Apex Legends is one of the most impactful launches in videogame history and it possesses immense esports potential,” said John Nelson, Apex Legends Competitive Gaming Commissioner. “Through close communication with our community, we’ve built an accessible Apex Legends ecosystem where any player can become a potential star while the world watches our unique, entertaining take on Battle Royale esports.”

The first three Majors will each feature 100 three-player squads from around the world. The fourth Major, the Apex Legends Global Series Championship, is the grand finale. Only the top 60 Apex Legends Global Series teams in the world will be invited to battle for $1 million in prizes and the title of Apex Legends Global Series World Champion.

All four Majors will feature the Apex Legends exclusive Match Point format, which debuted at the Apex Legends Preseason Invitational in September to positive reception. Match Point requires teams in the Finals to reach a points threshold through a combination of match placement and accumulated kills. Apex Legends is the only Battle Royale esport to feature this uniquely exciting end game mechanic.

The first Apex Legends Global Series competition is an Online Tournament taking place on January 25, 2020. Registration will open for the event in early January. Players can earn Apex Legends Global Series Points and an invitation to the first Major on March 13-15, 2020 held at Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas based on their Online Tournament performance. Many of the Apex Legends Global Series Online Tournaments will be produced from the newly built EA Broadcast Center at company headquarters.

Subsequent Apex Legends Global Series details will be announced soon.

The innovations don’t stop there as Apex Legends also delivers Respawn Beacons, one-time use locations where defeated teammates can be revived, a contextual Ping communication system that allows players to call out enemies, weapons, locations and more with the push of a button, and an intelligent inventory system which automatically attaches gear and equipment to the appropriate weapons once players pick them up. All together it creates a battle royale experience unlike any other, complete with Respawn’s commitment to top-notch quality and fun.

Apex Legends is now available on PS4, Xbox One and PC.