When you’re running any big multiplayer game with a sizable playerbase, esports are a big part of the puzzle. Some games try to start up their programs right at launch, which serves only to push more casual players away. That’s the exact opposite tact of Respawn Entertainment, which are starting the Apex Legends Global Series around a year after the game’s surprise launch in 2019. Registration for the international competition kicks off January 11, with players from over 60 countries eligible to sign up. The first tournament will then be held on January 25, with the first Major event happening from March 13-15.
Respawn head Vince Zampella talked a bit about the launch of the Global Series in 2020.
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“Competition is at the heart of Apex Legends,” he said. “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.”
Players who succeed in the weekly online tournaments will advance to regional Challenger Events and global Premier Events. Players who accumulate enough points on their profile in those events will be invited to one of four global Majors, which will feature 100 three-player squads from around the world. Each Major will feature the Match Point format, a mechanic that requires teams to earn points through kills and match placement in addition to pure survival. EA touts that Apex Legends is the only battle royale esport to feature such a system.
Josh Nelson, the man with the killer title of Apex Legends Competitive Gaming Commissioner, stated that Respawns game is “one of the most impactful launches in video game history,” and that impact will extend to the competition. “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.”
]Image Credit: Apex Legends Global Series Official Trailer/YouTube]
