Despite Apex Legends still sitting as one of the top five most played games on Steam (source), its recent player base decline hasn’t gone unnoticed — and now, Ubisoft is looking to jump on that opportunity.
According to a report from Insider Gaming, Ubisoft is currently developing a new Battle Royale codenamed “Project Scout” — a game so heavily inspired by Apex Legends that, at one point, Apex was literally used as its thumbnail during internal presentations.
Let’s break down what this Means for Apex Legends, why it’s raising eyebrows across the community, and whether Ubisoft is truly capable of creating an Apex killer.
🧬 What Is Project Scout?
- Ubisoft’s new project is internally dubbed “Project Scout.”
- The game reportedly features characters nearly identical to Pathfinder, Wraith, Lifeline, and others from Apex Legends.
- Insider Gaming sources say the goal is to capitalize on Apex’s player decline, targeting users fed up with Apex’s current state.
- One Ubisoft insider reportedly stated: “I think the goal is to capitalize on the player count of Apex dropping.”
But here’s the thing — if Apex is dropping Players, it’s not because players want a knockoff. It’s because they want better Support for a game they already love.
🧨 Ubisoft’s Track Record withLive Service Games
This isn’t Ubisoft’s first attempt at chasing live service success:
- Hyperscape (2020) – A unique Battle Royale that built a small but passionate fanbase. Ubisoft shut it down after 18 months.
- XDefiant – A Call of Duty-style shooter that was clearly designed to pull from another successful formula. It failed to launch meaningfully and was quietly shelved.
- Ubisoft has reportedly canceled more than a dozen Battle Royale games internally in recent years.
So when news of “Project Scout” dropped, the reaction was… skeptical, at best.
🎮 What Makes Apex Legends So Hard to Copy?
Ubisoft might think that simply creating another hero-based BR is enough. But Apex isn’t just about its character design — it’s about how it plays.
- No game has the movement like Apex.
- No game has the gunplay like Apex.
- No game feels like Apex.
It’s not the labels — “hero shooter,” “battle royale” — that define Apex’s appeal. It’s the tight, responsive gameplay, the verticality, the mid-fight creativity, and the map flow that other games simply can’t recreate.
🔮 Could Project Scout Work?
Despite the skepticism, Apex’s future isn’t guaranteed. EA themselves admitted the game hasn’t met recent financial expectations and that it will eventually receive a “major update” referred to as Apex Legends 2.0.
Meanwhile, Project Scout could thrive if Apex fumbles — but only if Ubisoft genuinely understands what makes Apex great (and not just what makes it popular).
However, given Ubisoft’s history with live service flops and rushed clones, the odds aren’t in their favor.
👀 Marathon: Another Challenger on the Horizon?
Bungie’s “Marathon” might be a more serious competitor. It’s an upcoming extraction shooter that reportedly shares many similarities with Apex:
- Blackbird (Bloodhound-style scan legend)
- Glitch (Stim ability like Octane)
- Locust (Missile pods, like Valkyrie)
- Void (Active camo)
Unlike Project Scout, Marathon seems inspired, not copied — and Bungie has a far better live service track record than Ubisoft. Could Marathon steal Apex players? Possibly. But the genre overlap isn’t one-to-one.
📉 State of Apex: A Steady Recovery?
Despite recent years of player drops (Seasons 20 to 23), Season 24 is the first season in a while to hold its numbers — thanks to:
- Better balance updates
- Frequent mid-season content
- 20 free Apex Packs
- A fan-favorite LTM: EPG Extreme
Respawn has also been more communicative and open to feedback — even talking to creators directly about issues like milestone events.
If Season 25 brings even more player-focused content (like a new legend, better progression, or a new map update), Apex could regain momentum.
💬 Final Thoughts
Ubisoft’s “Project Scout” might look like an Apex clone. It might even play like Apex on the surface. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that copying Apex doesn’t work — unless you truly understand why Apex is special.
If Respawn continues on the path it’s on with Season 24, the player base may not be looking for a new game. But competition should serve as a reminder to Respawn: respect the players, and they’ll stay loyal.
Let us know: Would you try Project Scout? What could Apex do to keep you around?
Stay updated at ALegends.gg for all Apex news, Leaks, and event updates.
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