FYI: Rainbow Six Mobile is coming, and that looks set to be a smartphone version of Rainbow Six Siege.
EA and Respawn Entertainment have recently announced (opens in new tab) that the regional beta tests for the new Apex Legends Mobile game are about to begin later this month.
This was the first time the developers have officially spoken about making a mobile version of one of the most popular battle royale games around. Apex Legends game director Chad Grenier, said: "This is a huge moment for our team. Two years ago we changed the landscape of the battle royale genre, and now we’re aiming to do it again on mobile."
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As you may have already guessed, the new mobile app is specifically designed for touchscreens. The developers made sure to include streamlined controls and thoughtful optimizations to make paying a game designed of PC and console controls actually usable on a touchscreen.
Grenier described the game as "a new version of Apex Legends, but true to the original."
At the moment, little has been revealed regarding the upcoming regional beta tests. What we know is that the first rollout will concern "a few thousand players in India and Philippines," which will later be expanded to more regions and gamers around the globe. The developers have already confirmed that the first beta tests will only apply to Android users. However, as the rollout continues, iOS support is said to be implemented accordingly.
And before you ask, no, the upcoming Apex Legends Mobile will not enable cross-play with PC and console gamers, simply because the game "is being built specially for mobile."
The good news is that, similar to the PC and console versions, the new mobile game will also be free-to-play, though this doesn't apply to some of the exclusive items that grant gameplay advantages. The items in question are Battle Passes, collectible cosmetics and special unlockables that you won't be able to find on PC or console.
Sadly, there's no information on the official release date yet, although if the beta tests begin later this month, we could potentially expect a global rollout in the coming months.
The news concerning the upcoming mobile game came shortly after the latest legend reveal on PC and console devices. Apex Legends recently announced the game's new legend, Valkyrie, in a new Outlands video (opens in new tab). The video also seemingly confirmed that the arrival of titans from the Titanfall franchise is also imminent.
