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Respawn is shutting down the original Nintendo Switch version of Apex Legends

ByChris McMullen 31 January 202631 January 2026

Image: Respawn

Respawn has confirmed it’s ending support for the original Nintendo Switch version of Apex Legends, with a double whammy of bad news. Not only will there be no new Nintendo Switch content after Season 29 (expected to arrive in May), the Switch version of this online FPS will become unplayable in August of this year.

When in August? Apex Legends will stop working on original Nintendo Switch hardware on Tuesday August 4th, 2026. Even if you still have it on your console, Apex Legends will fail to connect to the game’s servers.

Hey legends, we want to share an important update about Apex Legends on the Nintendo Switch.

Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch. Future seasons of Apex Legends will continue to be available on Nintendo Switch 2.

– Starting August 4, 2026…
— Apex Legends (@PlayApex) January 30, 2026

The good news is that Switch 2 owners will be able to play on and, since Apex Legends requires an EA account, your progress and in-game currency won’t suddenly be erased. But given that the Switch 2 is a pricier than its predecessor, not everyone will be able to make that leap.

Why end Switch support? Respawn hasn’t given a concrete reason, instead tweeting that “As we continue to evolve Apex Legend’s content and technical foundation, our goal is to deliver a high quality experience.”

However, reading behind the lines, the implication is that the slower Switch hardware is proving an obstacle to development. We expect EA/Respawn also factored in the financial costs of continuing to support Switch, versus dropping it.

Apex Legends is still playable on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but those platforms have a little more power than the Switch. We also wouldn’t be surprised if EA/Respawn dropped support for those platforms during the next couple of years.

Chris McMullen

Weekend editor

Chris has been gaming since the days of the Acorn Electron, which was allegedly purchased to 'help him with his homework'. You can probably guess how well that went. He’ll tackle most genres – football titles aside – though he has a taste for games that that are post-apocalyptic, horror-oriented or thought provoking in nature.