Back in 2022, Respawn Entertainment finally flipped the switch on the long-awaited next-gen version of Apex Legends, and by 2026 it has become the standard way most console players drop into the Outlands. What started as a quiet patch during the Warriors Collection Event now feels like a relic of a different era, yet some players still stumble upon the old last-gen client sitting on their drives like an uninvited guest. For those who somehow missed the memo, or for anyone dusting off a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S after a long break, this guide walks through how to make the jump to that buttery smooth 4K 60FPS experience.

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The upgrade was more than just a resolution bump. It was as if the game swapped out a foggy pair of goggles for a high-end telescope \u2014 everything from character textures to distant terrain suddenly snapped into razor-sharp clarity. The visual overhaul also brought HDR support on compatible displays, higher resolution shadow maps, and improved LOD (level of detail) transitions, making Kings Canyon look less like a watercolor painting and more like a living, breathing battlefield. Meanwhile, the frame rate locked at a reliable 60hz, which in a twitchy hero shooter feels like trading a rusty bicycle for a racing motorbike. Input lag shrank noticeably, giving players that extra fraction of a second to react when a Wraith phases into their face.

Now, downloading the next-gen version wasn\u2019t always as simple as hitting \u201cupdate.\u201d Even in 2026, the process can trip up someone reinstalling the game from scratch. Let\u2019s break it down.

For PS5 Owners Who Already Have Apex Legends Installed

This scenario is like having a perfectly good car but accidentally riding the bicycle chained to the back. If the PS4 version is still lurking on the system, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Game Hub for Apex Legends on the PS5 dashboard.

  2. Press the Options button (the one next to the \u201cPlay Game\u201d prompt, usually represented by three dots \u201c\u2026\u201d).

  3. Select Select Version and then choose the PS5 version to start the download.

  4. Once the download finishes, head over to the Game Library, find the PS4 version, and delete it manually \u2014 otherwise both versions sit side by side, hogging precious SSD space like two roommates who refuse to move out.

For PS5 Owners Who Don\u2019t Have Apex Legends Installed

Starting fresh? The console has a helpful safety net.

  1. Go to the Your Collection tab inside the Game Library.

  2. Scroll or search until you spot Apex Legends in your owned games.

  3. When prompted, pick the PS5 version for the download. The system won\u2019t automatically default to the best version here, so a quick selection spares you the later hassle.

The same logic applies if you\u2019re downloading from the PlayStation Store: always double-check that the product tile says PS5 before hitting that button.

For Xbox Series X|S Owners

Microsoft\u2019s Smart Delivery system made this whole dance painless. On Xbox consoles, the console automatically detects the best available version and installs it — no extra steps required. It\u2019s a bit like walking into a restaurant and having the chef immediately serve you the house special without you needing to read a menu. If you\u2019re on a Series X, you\u2019ll get the 4K 60FPS build; Series S runs at a lower resolution but still delivers that silky 60 frames per second. Reinstalling from disc or store? Smart Delivery takes care of everything in the background.

A Quick Look at Performance and Legacy

Table-stakes improvements aside, the next-gen version also significantly slashed loading times. Dropping into a match now feels instantaneous compared to the sluggish, screen-freezing wait of the PS4 era. That speed injected new life into the game\u2019s rhythm, turning what used to be a minute of thumb-twiddling into a blink-and-you\u2019ll-miss-it transition. Paired with the visual clarity, it\u2019s no wonder that by 2026, esports competitors and casual weekend warriors alike treat this as the only true way to play.

Here\u2019s a cheat sheet of the key differences between versions:

| Feature | PS4 / Xbox One | PS5 / Xbox Series X|S | |------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------| | Resolution | 1080p (dynamic scaling) | 4K (native or upscaled) | | Framerate | 30-60 FPS (unstable) | Locked 60 FPS | | HDR | No | Yes | | Loading Times | Slow (HDD affected) | Near-instant (NVMe SSD) | | Shadow & LOD Qty | Medium | High | | Input Latency | Higher | Significantly reduced |

The disparity is night and day. In fact, jumping back to the PS4 version after playing on PS5 feels like trying to run through knee-deep mud while everyone else sprints on pavement. Respawn\u2019s decision to treat the next-gen patch as a full native application rather than a simple backwards-compatibility boost paid off handsomely.

One lingering question from 2022 was whether a 120 FPS mode would ever arrive, given the competitive shooter\u2019s DNA. As of 2026, Respawn has stayed silent on that front, but rumors occasionally bubble up from dataminers. For now, the 60 FPS lock remains the ceiling, but it\u2019s a sturdy one. After all, when the game feels this responsive and looks this crisp, even picky players can settle in without too many complaints.

The Warriors Collection Event was the original delivery vehicle for this upgrade, and looking back, it served as a perfect on-ramp. Newer players who first experienced Apex Legends on current-gen hardware might never understand the scramble veterans went through, but the lesson sticking with the community from that patch was clear: when the next-gen version is available, make sure you\u2019re downloading the right one, because the game plays on a totally different level — both literally and figuratively.