In brief: To say that Apex Legends has proved popular is an understatement. But, as so often happens with a massive new phenomenon, cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of its success. In the case of Respawn's title, this comes in the form of a malicious app disguised as a mobile version of the game.

Following its launch early last week, Apex Legends gained over one million players in just eight hours. A few days' later, over 25 million people were enjoying the hero-based Battle Royale title.

Soon after its release, Respawn Entertainment's parent company, Electronic Arts, announced it was considering expanding the game to mobile devices. Such a plan always seemed on the cards, especially as the other big Battle Royale games---Fortnite and PUBG---both have mobile versions.

While the company never gave a timeframe for when we might expect to see Apex Legends on Android/iOS, security firm Check Point discovered that an app purporting to be the mobile version of the game is already available.

The fake app, called Apex Legends, is, in reality, an adware downloader, designed to generate revenue for those who created it. Check Point warns that the program could be used to install something more malicious, such as malware.

The Independent writes that those behind the app are helping spread it via supposed Apex Legends tutorial videos on YouTube, which contain links leading to the fake mobile version.

The discovery is yet another reminder to be careful when downloading applications from outside of the app stores, but even sticking to the official channels isn't always a guarantee of safety.

If you've not tried Apex Legends yet, you can safely download the PC version of the game here.