Respawn Entertainment

What Respawn Entertainment does

Respawn Entertainment is a US-based AAA video game development studio founded in 2010 by Vince Zampella and Jason West, currently operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts following EA's 2017 acquisition for $400 million. The studio develops and supports multiple game franchises across the battle royale, action-adventure, and turn-based tactical strategy genres, with primary products including Apex Legends (a free-to-play battle royale game generating over $3.4 billion in lifetime net bookings since its February 2019 launch across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch), the Star Wars Jedi action-adventure series (Fallen Order, Survivor, and the in-development Jedi 3) developed under partnership with Lucasfilm Games, and the upcoming Star Wars Zero Company turn-based tactical game co-developed with Bit Reactor. Respawn also announced Star Wars Galactic Racer, a podracing title, in 2026, indicating active expansion of its Star Wars portfolio beyond action-adventure.

The studio's technology is built on a Modified Source Engine foundation with ongoing performance engineering, including the Season 29 'Overclocked' update that addressed stuttering on AMD Ryzen X3D processors above 240 FPS through improved occlusion data structures and ambient occlusion. Apex Legends operates on a freemium microtransaction model with seasonal content updates (new legends, weapons, maps, battle passes, and crossover events such as the 2026 Cyberpunk 2077/Edgerunners collaboration), while premium titles like Star Wars Zero Company follow a one-time license model at $49.99 standard and $59.99 Deluxe. The studio's go-to-market leverages EA's publishing and distribution infrastructure across EA app, Origin, Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Nintendo eShop, alongside community-led engagement via the ALGS esports circuit and industry event showcases.

Respawn serves a global consumer base of video game players across horizontal segments, from multiplayer battle royale enthusiasts to single-player narrative and tactical strategy gamers, with no disclosed enterprise or B2B customer concentration. The studio maintains 501–1,000 employees and is headquartered in the San Fernando Valley area of California. Following the April 2025 layoffs across incubation, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi teams, and the December 2025 death of founder Vince Zampella in a single-car crash, Respawn is operating under EA ownership with an active 2026 product pipeline spanning Star Wars Zero Company, Star Wars Galactic Racer, and ongoing Apex Legends seasonal support.

Name

Respawn Entertainment

Legal name

Respawn Entertainment

Website

https://respawn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Respawn Entertainment is a US-based AAA video game development studio and wholly-owned Electronic Arts subsidiary that develops Apex Legends (a free-to-play battle royale with $3.4B+ lifetime net bookings), the Star Wars Jedi action-adventure series, and upcoming Star Wars tactical and racing titles for global gaming consumers across PC and console platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherman Oaks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Apex Legends Microtransactions: Apex Legends generates revenue through in-game purchases of cosmetic skins, battle passes, and limited-time event items. The game reached 50 million players in 30 days at launch and has generated over $3.4 billion in lifetime net bookings since February 2019.
2. Star Wars Zero Company Premium Sales: Star Wars Zero Company is sold as a premium single-player title at $49.99 standard edition and $59.99 Deluxe edition, representing a traditional one-time license revenue model.
3. Apex Legends Seasonal Content: Seasonal updates introduce new legends, weapons, maps, and cosmetic content that drive player engagement and in-game purchases, with each season running approximately 3 months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Respawn Entertainment is an AAA video game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes high-quality games across battle royale, action-adventure, and tactical strategy genres. Its flagship live-service title, Apex Legends, is a free-to-play battle royale with seasonal content and cosmetic microtransactions, while premium Star Wars titles (including the upcoming Star Wars Zero Company and Star Wars Jedi 3) are co-developed with Lucasfilm Games and Bit Reactor.

Product overview

Respawn Entertainment is a video game development studio primarily known for Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale game generating over $3.4 billion in lifetime revenue since 2019. The studio also develops Star Wars games under Lucasfilm partnership, including the upcoming Star Wars Zero Company (a turn-based tactics game) and the active Star Wars Jedi series. The portfolio includes live-service game support with continuous seasonal content updates for Apex Legends, featuring new legends, maps, and gameplay mechanics across multiple seasons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apex Legends Free-to-play multiplayer battle royale game for individual gamers on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms with seasonal content, character releases, and cosmetic microtransactions.
• Star Wars Zero Company Turn-based tactical strategy game set in the Star Wars Clone Wars era with XCOM-style permadeath mechanics, branching narrative choices, and squad management for individual gamers who purchase premium one-time licenses at $49.99 standard / $59.99 Deluxe.
• Star Wars Jedi 3

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $3.4 billion in lifetime net bookings from Apex Legends since 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CD Projekt RedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026CD Projekt Red collaborated with Respawn Entertainment on the Cyberpunk 2077 crossover event in Apex Legends, featuring character skins, cyberware gameplay mechanics, and a visual overhaul of the E-District map into Night City aesthetics.
• Bit ReactorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2025Bit Reactor, in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games, is developing Star Wars Zero Company. Former XCOM developers at Bit Reactor bring tactical game expertise to create an XCOM-style turn-based strategy experience set during the Clone Wars era with permadeath mechanics.
• Electronic ArtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Electronic Arts acquired Respawn Entertainment in 2017 for $400 million. EA serves as publisher for Respawn's titles including Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series, providing publishing infrastructure and distribution channels.
• Lucasfilm GamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLucasfilm Games partners with Respawn Entertainment for Star Wars game development, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars Zero Company, and Star Wars Jedi 3. The partnership leverages the Star Wars IP for narrative-driven gaming experiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FromSoftware: FromSoftware develops premium AAA action titles (Dark Souls, Elden Ring) with strong critical and commercial reception. Comparable to Respawn in AAA development pedigree, premium pricing model, and ability to anchor multi-year franchise pipelines with single-player focus.
• Bungie: Bungie develops Destiny 2, a live-service FPS/RPG hybrid with seasonal content and microtransaction monetization. As a similarly sized AAA studio focused on a single major live-service shooter franchise, Bungie is highly comparable to Respawn's Apex-led operational model.
• Riot Games: Riot Games develops Valorant, a competitive free-to-play hero shooter that competes with Apex Legends in the tactical/hero shooter space. Both studios run large esports ecosystems and live-service seasonal content models targeting the same core gaming audience.
• Epic Games: Epic Games develops Fortnite, the dominant battle royale title and Respawn's most direct competitor in the free-to-play shooter category. Both studios operate cross-platform live-service shooters with seasonal content updates and cosmetic microtransactions as core monetization.
• Naughty Dog: Naughty Dog develops premium AAA action-adventure franchises (Uncharted, The Last of Us) for PlayStation. Comparable in studio size, premium single-player focus, and narrative-driven IP development, positioning them as a parallel for Respawn's Star Wars single-player ambitions.
• Santa Monica Studio: Santa Monica Studio develops the God of War franchise, a premium AAA action title. Comparable to Respawn in AAA studio scale, action-genre expertise, and console-first development pedigree, making them a relevant structural peer in premium gaming.
• Infinity Ward: Infinity Ward develops Call of Duty: Warzone, another major free-to-play battle royale competing directly with Apex Legends. Originally co-founded by Vince Zampella, Infinity Ward represents the studio's historical lineage and remains its closest head-to-head competitor in the shooter market.
• BioWare: BioWare is a sister EA-owned studio developing premium AAA RPG franchises (Mass Effect, Dragon Age). BioWare shares Respawn's AAA development scale, EA parent ownership, and history of narrative-driven single-player titles, including parallel work on sci-fi action games.
• Ubisoft Montreal: Ubisoft Montreal is a major AAA studio developing flagship franchises (Assassin's Creed, Far Cry). Comparable in scale, multi-project pipeline management, and AAA premium single-player/release model, making it a relevant peer for Respawn's diversified premium pipeline.
• CD Projekt Red: CD Projekt Red develops AAA RPGs (The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077) and recently collaborated with Respawn on a Cyberpunk crossover event in Apex Legends. Both studios are comparable in AAA development scope, premium single-player pricing strategy, and cross-IP partnership engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/respawn
• Facebookfacebook.com/RespawnEntertainment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/respawn-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Respawn Entertainment