Aipanda
Overview
Aipanda (Apex Legends Mobile, Chinese: 巅峰极速) is a mobile battle royale game developed by Lightspeed Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent. It is the mobile version of the original Apex Legends, released in China under the name 'Aipanda' in May 2022. The game features 60 players divided into 20 teams, fighting on a battlefield to become the last team standing. It implements the core mechanics of the original, such as the Legend (character) system, ping communication system, and respawn system, optimized for mobile.
Main Content
Gameplay
Aipanda is fundamentally a battle royale mode where 20 teams of three (60 players total) are deployed into an arena and battle until only one team remains. Players choose one of various 'Legends' with unique abilities to start the game. The battlefield involves collecting weapons, armor, and healing items scattered across the map, engaging enemies within a shrinking safe zone. Unlike the original, the control scheme is simplified for mobile environments, with features like auto-fire and aim assist added.
Legend System
Aipanda features Legends with distinct unique abilities. At launch, it included popular Legends from the original: Wraith, Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Lifeline, Bangalore, Pathfinder, Octane, Mirage, and Caustic. Each Legend possesses three abilities: passive, tactical, and ultimate, allowing various team compositions based on strategy.
Maps and Modes
Aipanda recreates the original 'King's Canyon' map for mobile, with the 'World's Edge' map added later. Game modes include the basic battle royale, as well as 3-player squad, duo, and solo modes. A limited-time event mode, 'Arena' (3v3 team deathmatch), was also provided. Additionally, mobile-exclusive modes like '60-player Battle Royale' and 'Training Grounds' were included.
Revenue Model
Aipanda adopts a free-to-play premium model. Revenue primarily comes from the sale of cosmetic items such as battle passes, Legend skins, weapon skins, emotes, and banner frames. In-game currencies include 'Syndicate Gold' and 'Legend Tokens', with the battle pass operating on a seasonal basis.
Development and Operation
Aipanda was developed by Tencent's Lightspeed Studios. It was produced under license from the original developer, Respawn Entertainment, and EA (Electronic Arts). The game was released on Android and iOS in China on May 17, 2022, recording over 15 million pre-registrations in its first week. The global version, 'Apex Legends Mobile', was released worldwide on May 17, 2022, but its service ended on May 1, 2023. However, the Chinese server, Aipanda, continues to operate separately.
Latest Trends
As of 2024, Aipanda continues to receive regular updates in the Chinese market. In March 2024, Season 17 'Energy of the Deep' was updated, adding a new Legend 'Valkyrie' and a new weapon 'Craber'. In August 2024, Season 18 'Resonance' was released, introducing the map 'Storm Point' optimized for mobile. As of January 2025, Aipanda maintains a rating of 4.2/5.0 on the Chinese App Store and TapTap, demonstrating stable operation. Recently, cross-play functionality was introduced, enabling matching with the PC version. The esports tournament 'Aipanda Championship Series (APEX Champions Series)' was held in December 2024 with a total prize pool of 5 million yuan (approximately 900 million KRW). Additionally, Season 19 'Eternal Circle' update is scheduled for February 2025, which will add a new Legend 'Echo' and the mobile version of the map 'Olympus'.
Related Topics
- [[Apex Legends]]
- [[Battle Royale Games]]
- [[Tencent Games]]