Yes, absolutely they do! Every month over 20,000 Apex Legends accounts are sold on marketplaces like PlayerAuctions and Eldorado. While against Respawn‘s Terms of Service, selling accounts has become a massive underground market. Dedicated Apex players have built up valuable accounts over hundreds or thousands of hours of playtime. For some, it makes sense to cash out by selling their accounts when they are done or want to fund their gaming.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore how the account selling market works, from determining an account‘s worth to safely making transactions. We‘ll also look at risks, ethics, and provide advice to help you make informed decisions – whether buying, selling, or just curious about this controversial practice. Let‘s dive in!
How Large is the Market for Apex Account Sales?
While hard numbers are difficult to pin down for this unofficial marketplace, best estimates say $50-100 million worth of accounts are sold per year across top games like Apex Legends, Valorant, and Genshin Impact.
For Apex in particular, PlayerAuctions sees over 21,000 active sellers monthly. At an average sale price of $150, that puts the Apex account market at roughly $37 million annually.
| Active Apex Sellers on PlayerAuctions | 21,000 |
| Average Apex Account Sale Price | $150 |
| Estimated Annual Apex Account Sales | $37 million |
These sales occur despite clearly violating the Respawn Terms of Service prohibiting account transfers. Next we‘ll look at how players determine account values.
How Do You Determine an Account‘s Worth?
Many factors influence how much an Apex account can sell for. Here are the key characteristics buyers look for:
- Level – Accounts with high badge levels invariably have more play time and unlocks.
- Stats – Accounts with impressive kill counts, damage, and wins draw more buyer interest.
- Ranked Tier – Reaching high competitive tiers like Predator or Master tier adds value.
- Skins – The rarest skins greatly increase account price due to exclusivity.
- Heirlooms – Unlocking all heirlooms is the holy grail for collectors.
- Legends – Accounts with fully unlocked legends have wider appeal.
Third party Account Value Calculators like PlayerAuctions‘ can estimate prices based on those key factors. But seasoned sellers also use experience to accurately price accounts. Let‘s explore popular platforms to sell accounts next.
What Marketplaces Are Safest for Selling?
While you can try selling accounts through social media or general platforms like eBay, dedicated account marketplaces are safer. Sites like PlayerAuctions, Eldorado, and G2G offer:
- Large dedicated buyer pools looking for accounts.
- Security systems to hold payments until delivery.
- Seller reputation systems and profiles.
- Moderation teams providing support and dispute resolution.
These protections are crucial to avoid getting scammed as a seller or buyer. The vast majority of account transactions happen on reputable specialized marketplaces. They allow both parties to feel more secure.
How Should You Price Your Account?
The golden rule when pricing your account is being realistic. Price too high, and it may never sell. But undervalue it, and you leave money on the table.
Aim to price competitively based on accounts of similar value currently on the market. Factor in exclusivity of skins, how long it took you to build up the account, and buyer demand.
Be willing to negotiate fair offers and make a deal rather than chasing the highest hypothetical price. Securing a solid sale is better than never finding that one perfect buyer.
Avoid drastically inflating your price to rip buyers off. This will only hurt your reputation long term.
Case Study: Pricing a Predator Account
Let‘s look at a real example:
Raj has a Level 450 account he‘s thinking about selling. Stats are decent with a 2 K/D ratio and 600 wins. His account has the special Iced Out Pathfinder skin from the System Override event. Pathfinder is his main.
For ranked, he reached Predator back in Season 3. He‘s currently in Platinum. About half the legends are unlocked.
Searching current listings, Raj sees other Predator accounts selling from $200-$400 based on additional factors like skins.
Given his stats and the icy Pathfinder, Raj decides to list his account for $275. That places him on the higher end, but not outrageous.
After a few weeks he receives an offer for $230. Raj accepts, feeling good about getting solid value for his account progress.
Receiving Payment Securely
When selling anything online, payment fraud is a risk. Thankfully there are steps sellers can take to protect themselves:
- Only accept secure platform payments like PlayerAuctions‘ PShields or PayPal.
- Never accept direct wire transfers or gift cards – these cannot be reversed if fraudulent.
- Require "goods and services" payments to get buyer protection.
- Double check payments fully clear before transferring accounts.
- Keep evidence of delivery in case of disputes.
A few simple precautions go a long way to prevent scams and ensure you get paid.
Delivering the Account to the Buyer Securely
To complete the transaction, you‘ll need to fully relinquish the account to the buyer by:
- Logging out of the account on all platforms/devices.
- Giving the buyer your account email and password.
- Having them change password, email, and linked accounts.
- Deleting your old password and account information.
This fully transfers ownership to the buyer and removes all your access. Only proceed once payment is received and verified.
Bans and Risks When Selling Accounts
Since account selling breaks the rules set by Respawn, there is inherent risk of getting banned if they detect suspicious activity. Many buyers also risk getting accounts banned if they cheat while using a purchased account.
However, the actual probability of getting banned merely for selling or buying accounts seems relatively low currently. Respawn‘s priority targets cheaters ruining matches more than account transactions.
Still, the risk exists, so both sellers and buyers should consider that possibility. Getting banned results in complete loss of access and any money spent.
Is Selling Apex Accounts Ethical?
The ethics of Apex account selling are debatable. Some viewpoints:
- Lets players profit fairly from the time they invested.
- Account progress shouldn‘t be locked away when players are done.
- Buyers enjoy gaining rare skins, heirlooms and bypassing long grinds.
However, opponents argue:
- Buyers get an unfair advantage skipping the grind.
- Damages ranked mode integrity when skill doesn‘t match visible rank.
- Circumvents developers‘ intent for unlocking cosmetics.
There are reasoned points on both sides here with no consensus. Generally, Respawn opposes account selling, but has not prioritized cracking down at this time.
Advice for Safely Buying an Apex Account
For buyers looking to purchase an established Apex account, you can get great deals – just be cautious.
- Thoroughly vet seller profiles and confirm they are reputable.
- Ask questions and don‘t rush into sketchy deals.
- Verify you are receiving exactly what was advertised.
- Use marketplace buyer protections if you get scammed.
- Never buy an account just to cheat on it.
Buying from a trusted seller on a secure marketplace minimizes your risks. But there‘s still a small chance of getting banned if Respawn links your info to the purchased account later.
The Bottom Line on Apex Account Selling
While prohibited by Respawn, selling Apex Legends accounts has still grown into a massive underground market between players. Dedicated Apex players pour huge time into leveling accounts and feel it‘s fair to sell them when ready to move on.
If selling or buying, be smart – use secure platforms, vet counterparts, get evidence, use payment protections, and transfer accounts safely. There is risk in going around official channels, but the potential rewards draw many to participate.
Use your best judgment on where you stand ethically. If proceeding, take precautions. Avoid shady deals and scams. There are safe ways to buy and sell accounts, but always be aware of the risks.
I hope this comprehensive guide gave you a full overview of how the Apex account marketplace works, risks and rewards, key factors in pricing, avoiding fraud, ethics, and more. Account trading happens in a gray area, so go in fully informed!
