Mentioned in this article
- The Apex Legends Preseason Invitational will feature 80 teams in a $500K USD tournament in Krakow, Poland, in September.
- EA’s newly-detailed Apex Legends Preseason initiative also includes ESPN’s EXP tournaments, including this coming weekend’s event at X Games Minneapolis.
- Many organizations have added Apex Legends teams in recent months, and FACEIT and Twitch have also held competitions.
Electronic Arts 
(EA) today revealed the Apex Legends Preseason Invitational, a $500K tournament that will take place in Krakow, Poland.
Held from Sept. 13-15, the battle royale shooter competition will feature 80 teams (240 total players) in a bracketed tournament. This is the first official Apex Legends competition operated by publisher EA and developer Respawn Entertainment .
Alongside the tournament announcement, the companies have also announced that other recent and upcoming tournaments are now considered part of the newly-branded Apex Legends Preseason. ESPN’s EXP Pro-Am Apex Legends Exhibition earlier this month is included, as well as this coming weekend’s EXP Invitational – Apex Legends at X Games Minneapolis. EA has not yet revealed plans for a regular or ongoing season of Apex Legends competition.
According to the official rules, the tournament will utilize the ESL Play platform, and teams must pay a $150 registration fee. Each registered team will receive a meal voucher to be used during the tournament, as well as Apex Legends merchandise, collectively valued at approximately $150.
“When we started the EA Competitive Gaming Division, we had a vision to make stars of all our players as we build an entertainment spectacle that captivates millions of players and spectators,” said EA Senior Vice President and Competitive Gaming Division GM Todd Sitrin, in a release. “Today we officially expand EA Competitive Gaming through the addition of Apex Legends, owner of one of the biggest game launches in history that continues to be powered today by a passionate global community. The Apex Legends Preseason Invitational is the key next step in our esports journey.”
Related Article: Apex Legends Esports Struggle to Gain Traction on Twitch
The free-to-play Apex Legends surprise-released in February to significant buzz and Twitch viewership, thanks to a coordinated marketing effort with top influencers such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Michael “shroud” Grzesiek. However, the game struggled to maintain top viewership numbers in subsequent weeks.
Besides ESPN, Twitch and FACEIT have also held Apex Legends competitions, and many organizations (such as Cloud9 and NRG ) have signed players in the hopes of a competitive push by EA. The publisher’s Competitive Gaming Division also operates Madden NFL and FIFA esports efforts.
