VTubers Can Now Stream As An Apex Legends Character

If you've ever wanted to dip your toes into the world of VTubing, you can now do so using the official Apex Legends VTuber avatars released by Respawn Entertainment today. The avatars feature three legends--Bangalore, Mirage, and Octane--donning outfits based on the skins from Apex's anime-themed Gaiden event, which kicks off next week.

Mirage's avatar features the holographic trickster decked out in his My Hero Academia-themed Marked Man skin, while Octane is donning his One Piece-inspired Sea Legs skin. Bangalore, however, is wearing her new Prestige skin, Apex Commander. Many VTubers use anime characters as their avatars, which is likely the reason these avatars were released alongside the Gaiden event.

VTubers--short for "virtual YouTubers"--have gained popularity in recent years among content creators who don't wish to show their faces on camera but still want a physical representation of themselves in their videos or streams. Voiceover-only content can sometimes struggle to gain traction on YouTube and Twitch, so the introduction of an interesting, amusing, well-animated avatar can often mitigate issues with audience engagement while still providing the VTuber with a greater level of privacy.

Each of the Apex Legends VTuber avatars come with their own unique animations, emotes, and HUD overlays, giving content creators all the tools they need to live out their VTubing dreams without having to shell out the cash to have a custom character made for their channel. While many VTubers prefer original, customized avatars, those avatars often come with a hefty price tag, so Apex Legends avatars are a great starting point for anyone who is curious about VTubing but not quite ready to jump in with both feet.

The avatars themselves were each created by a different team of VTuber creators. @Kaibuzetta is the artist who designed Bangalore's VTuber avatar, while @KirynnVT handled the rigging. Mirage's VTuber avatar was created by @Nnnoira and rigged by @PresidentLich. The team behind Octane's avatar includes @Miyukiko (character art) and @rj_hinode (rigging and animation).

But Apex's legends aren't the first game characters to hop on the VTuber trend--Sonic the Hedgehog gave VTubing a try last summer. Still, the legends might be slightly better suited to it--especially given Mirage's obsession with selfies and Octane's profound love of livestreaming.

Anyone looking to make use of the Apex Legends VTuber avatars can download them and all other assets from the official Apex Legends website, where Respawn has provided detailed instructions (in both written and video format) to help any would-be VTubers get their avatar of choice up and running.

Apex Legends is free to play on console and PC. A mobile version of the game, Apex Legends Mobile, is available for download on Android and iOS devices.