Here’s your first look at Apex Legends running on Nintendo Switch

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Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch
(Image credit: Nintendo/EA)

FYI: Apex Legends has finally got a PS5 and Xbox Series X next-gen update.

Popular battle royale game Apex Legends is coming to Nintendo Switch this month, and a new gameplay trailer has given us our first glimpse of how the game will look on Nintendo’s console. 

Unsurprisingly the game looks pretty much exactly like the Apex Legends we’ve been playing since its original launch in 2019, with a few graphical caveats of course. 

From the trailer, it’s pretty apparent that the resolution of the online shooter has dropped. This doesn’t come as a surprise as it’s a common occurrence when a game is ported to the less powerful Switch. It’s the trade-off you make for being able to play on the bus or while in bed. 

The big question, that the trailer unfortunately doesn’t answer, is what will the framerate be like? In a first-person shooter like Apex Legends split-second reactions are the difference between victory and defeat, so a stable framerate is an absolute requirement. 

It’s unlikely that the Switch will be able to match the silky smooth 60fps offered on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions, though we’re very much hoping that Apex Legends on Switch will at least manage a consistent 30fps. 

Aside from the expected graphical and performance downgrades, this is otherwise a full-featured port of the game. Cross-play will be available as well, allowing Switch players to squad up with friends playing on another platform. Unfortunately, though, there isn’t cross-progression, so you can’t carry your ranks from previous play onto the Switch.

Developer Respawn Entertainment is giving both new and returning players plenty of incentive to download the game on Switch. Those who play at launch will receive a Legendary-rarity skin for the Pathfinder character and automatically unlock the first 30 levels of the season 8 battle pass. Double XP will be up for grabs during the first two weeks of release as well.

Apex Legends launches on Nintendo Switch March 9, and just like on all other platforms, it will be free to play.

Rory Mellon
Rory Mellon
Senior Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.