Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch release time, crossplay and what to expect

Originally released back in 2019, Apex Legends has become one of the biggest battle royale games around, known for its tight gunplay and squad-orientated matches.

After two years on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Apex Legends is set to arrive on Nintendo Switch on Tuesday 9th March developed by Panic Button.

But are there any perks for Switch players jumping in? Does it feature crossplay? Here’s what you. need to know about the Switch release of Apex Legends. 

• Read more: Apex Legends 9th March patch notes - balance changes, weapon updates and bug fixes

What time does Apex Legends release on Nintendo Switch?

Apex Legends is arriving on Switch (Picture: Respawn) 

Apex Legends lands on Nintendo Switch on Tuesday 9th March. An exact release time hasn’t been announced, although judging by past eShop updates, it’s possible to make an estimation.

The Nintendo eShop is typically updated at 2pm GMT/6am PT on the day of release, although some third-party titles may not be available until 5pm GMT/9am PT.

As Apex Legends is a third-party release, it’s likely the game will drop at the latter time. Based on this, we’ve outlined the release time on 9th March across regions below. 

• UK - 5pm GMT
• Europe - 6pm CET
• West US - 9am PT
• East US - 12pm ET

Will Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch support crossplay? 

Absolutely. As confirmed in their initial announcement, Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch will support crossplay across PlayStation, Xbox and PC.

It will also support the latest seasonal content and have all the features available in other versions of the title.

Will Apex Legends on Switch support cross-progression?

Cross-progression, which allows players to carry over save progress between platforms, isn’t available to players on console. This means players on Nintendo Switch will have to start from scratch and won’t be able to carry over progress from PlayStation, Xbox or PC. 

Recent comments from developer Respawn however indicate this is an issue they’re hoping to address in the future, although this might be a while off yet. 

Are there any perks to jumping in on Switch?

As the Switch version launches a few weeks into Season 8, players on Nintendo’s console will be gifted 30 free levels for their Season 8 Battle Pass. 

For the first two weeks after launch, players on Switch will also earn double XP - so you’ll be able to rise the ranks at a greater speed.