The Apex Legends next-gen update is nearly here, the game finally moving from its native PS4 and Xbox One apps to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions.
Players on newer consoles have been calling out for an upgrade for a long while now, with the free-to-play game beginning to feel like a bit of an outlier compared to other popular service games that have updated to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. However, that's now at an end, as players will now get to enjoy the benefits of bespoke updated versions of Apex Legends.
That said, this seems to be a soft launch of sorts with some upgrades players might've been hoping for, such as 120hz gameplay, not coming at release. Instead, that and several other features are being promised for later.
However, there are still plenty of reasons to download the application. Here’s how to go about that, and what benefits will actually be available to you.
Apex Legends next-gen
Upgrade to the next-gen versions of Apex Legends
The way to get your hands on the next-gen version of Apex Legends will change depending on which console family you're on. Those on Xbox consoles will have it relatively easily, while those on PlayStation have a couple more steps to go through.
Xbox Series X|S
According to Respawn Entertainment, this process should be largely automated. Thanks to Smart Delivery, the best version available of the game is automatically delivered and installed for you.
The only thing you might want to do is check for an update on the game. This should queue up the update so it begins downloading right when it releases. Otherwise, you can relax – it should all be done for you.
PlayStation 5
On the PlayStation side of things, you will have to jump through a couple hoops but it should be relatively easy.
Once the new update is live and downloaded, go to your Apex Legends hub on your PS5 dashboard. Then cursor down to the ‘...’ button next to 'Play Game'. You then want to go to ‘Select Version’ and choose the PS5 which will begin the installation. Respawn then suggests deleting the PS4 version of the game.
One thing to do, if you are reading this before the launch of the PS5 version, is go to the game icon on the dashboard, press the start button and then select ‘Check for Updates'. This should queue the update for when it releases.
What benefits are you getting?
This upgrade will see various improvements across the board, making the game a nicer, better-looking experience. It will output to 4K, have HDR, and longer draw distances. Below is a full list of benefits that are available with Apex Legends on PS5 and Xbox Seris X|S.
- 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
What features are coming at a later date?
While the Apex Legends upgrade is nice, it seems some key upgrades are being held back for an unspecified ‘future update’. The one that people are most clamoring for is undoubtedly 120hz gameplay.
There is also some PS5 controller support, as well as unspecified visual and audio improvements. Hopefully, the wait for these features isn’t too far away, but there’s no real roadmap on when to expect these.
- 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
