According to details briefly included in the official Japanese YouTube page for Apex Legends, the game will launch on Nintendo Switch on Feb. 2. Incidentally, that is also the same date that Season 8 of Apex Legends kicks off, and so Switch players would be able to play alongside the start of the new season.
This was apparently never officially announced in English at any point. However, Twitter users have pointed out that other-language versions of the YouTube, including Spanish, Danish, Polish, and Russian, also at one point indicated that Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch will launch on that date. Mention of the date has seemingly since been removed everywhere.
BREAKING: The Japanese version on YouTube states Apex Legends is coming to Switch on February 2.
"And on February 2nd, it will be possible to play on Switch at the same time as the start of Season 8!" pic.twitter.com/63TpUn27Mx
— Apex Legends News (@alphaINTEL) January 18, 2021
Apex Legends arrived at last on Steam last year on Nov. 4, alongside the start of Season 7. But developer Respawn Entertainment also delayed the release of the Switch version until this year, citing additional challenges to development and not wanting to rush its rollout.
Season 8, called Mayhem, introduces a new Legend named Fuse. The game’s original map, King’s Canyon, will be changed again. A new weapon also arrives in the form of a lever-action rifle called the 30-30 Repeater.
Game Director Chad Grenier stated that the Switch version of Apex Legends will support cross-platform play and will have full feature parity to match those of other platforms. Respawn has had cross-platform support in beta form since Oct. 6, but perhaps the feature will be complete by the time the Switch version launches.