When will Apex Legends next-gen PS5 & Xbox Series X/S versions release?

Andrew Highton
octane next to ps5 and xbox series x

Apex Legends continues to do extremely well and is constantly growing, yet the absence of a complete version for next-generation consoles is a mystery. So when will we be seeing an upgraded version of the free-to-play battle royale on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?

With the launch of Apex Legends Season 12, Respawn’s incredible battle royale FPS continues to be a trendsetter within the industry. For nearly 3 years players have battled each other using a variety of weird and wonderful characters – with the most recent one being Season 12’s Mad Maggie.

But despite its ever-growing success and popularity, and the fact it’s been on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for a year now, fans of the game still have to contend with a backward-compatible version of the game.

So when exactly can we look forward to a fully upgraded version of Apex Legends for the newest generation of consoles?

When can we expect the next-gen version of Apex Legends?

Apex Legends all platforms

The next-gen version of Apex Legends for PS5 and Xbox Series S/X will officially be going live with the Warriors Collection Event on March 29, around 12 AM PST/ 1 PM EST/ 6 PM BST.

The official Warriors Collection Event patch notes detailed exactly what will be coming with this new next-gen version of Apex Legends, as well as how to download it, which we now have a handy guide for.

With Ray Tracing, Adaptive Triggers, 3D Audio, 120 FPS, and a variety of other features possible thanks to PS5 and Xbox, Apex Legends players might finally be able to benefit from the power of new hardware.

How big are the next-gen versions of Apex Legends?

ps5 controller

The next-gen versions for Apex Legends on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S come in at different sizes for both consoles.

Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S next-gen versions of Apex Legends are over 50 GB without updates.

With updates, players should expect a size of 80+ GB for both consoles.

What features does Apex Legends have now on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?

apex legends characters posing

The next-gen version of Apex Legends is bringing a variety of upgrades to the game through the power of the next-gen consoles.

The following is a list of all the improvements coming as of March 29:

4K output          PS5 & Xbox Series X
Full 60hz gameplay          PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
HDR          PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
Higher resolution shadow maps          PS5 & Xbox Series X
Greater LOD distances           PS5 & Xbox Series X

The devs also insist that there will be further upgrades and improvements in future updates for the next-gen versions as well, which includes:

120hz gameplay          PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
Adaptive triggers          PS5
Haptics          PS5
Visual Improvements          PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
Audio Improvements           PS5 & Xbox Series X|S

120 FPS / 120 Hz

The PS5 and Xbox Series X both have hardware capable of 4K gaming at 120Hz video output. This ultimately allows next-gen consoles to start competing with PC gaming which, depending on the hardware, can run Apex Legends at an even higher frame rate of over 144Hz at 4K resolution.

It seems this feature will be coming in a later update according to the EA blog post.

storm point map in apex legends

PS5 DualSense, Haptic Feedback & 3D Audio

Another feature coming in a later update for the next-gen version of Apex Legends on PS5 is Adaptive Triggers and Haptic Feedback. These features are exclusive to the PS5’s Dual Sense controller and will no doubt improve the immersion once they are launched.

Apex Legends will also look to optimize its audio for PlayStation’s 3D Audio function in a future update, which would greatly increase the dimension and quality of sound in the game.

Stay updated on these features through this post, as we will be updating as and when new information is available about their release.

Load times

apex characters dropping into apex map

A pretty straightforward aspect of next-gen, but an important one nonetheless, is the fact that modern hardware can almost eliminate loading times.

A huge selling point of the PS5 and Xbox Series X is their ability to process information, backgrounds, and everything else required in seconds. Apex Legends matches will be able to move along seamlessly and also allow players to jump into matches almost immediately too.


That’s all for the next-gen version of Apex Legends, as more information is released and updates come out, we will be sure to update this piece so stay tuned.

For more on Apex Legends, check out who the current most popular Legends are.

Image Credits: Respawn Entertainment

About The Author

A content creator for Charlie INTEL / Dexerto that earned a degree, wrote for PlusXP, Twinfinite, and Keengamer, before finally securing his dream job of being a professional video game writer. When not writing about games, he's very busy playing every game in existence and adding to his 11,000+ PlayStation Trophies and 150+ Platinums. You can contact him at [email protected].