Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Apex Legends
When Respawn Entertainment simultaneously announced and released Apex Legends back in February, the game immediately took the industry by storm. Thanks to a clever release strategy that included support from some of the top YouTubers and streamers, Respawn found itself a hit essentially from day one. Now, the game has officially evolved into a top-tier competitor in the battle royale genre.
Yet, even with new content and over 50 million players worldwide, the game is still in its infancy, which means there's no telling what it will look like in one year, two years, or beyond. The future is both bright and uncertain, but there are plenty of questions that fans still have about this new experience. Here are some of the unanswered questions we still have about Apex Legends.
Will it kill Fortnite?
After Epic Games dropped Fortnite, the free-to-play game grabbed the battle royale crown almost instantly, despite the popularity of its competitor PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. The game offered what PUBG had but did it in a colorful, interesting way, with more unique mechanics. After Apex Legends came out, it was clear that a new game was vying for that crown. Respawn Entertainment's title added smart features like the ping system — something that trended so well in the community, Epic added it to its game just a couple weeks later.
With sales numbers down and the Epic team adding features made popular by its competition, could Apex Legends potentially be the "Fortnite killer?" The short-term answer is no. While Apex has performed extremely well since launch, Epic's online shooter still has much to offer seasoned players. Its battle pass is refined, while Apex's is in its infancy, with the first iteration not exactly setting the world on fire. Fortnite also has a large list of weekly and seasonal challenges that give players more reasons to play outside of simply killing opponents. There's also a dedicated community of streamers, led by Ninja, that continues to help support the game and keep plenty of eyes on it everyday. Apex is here to stay, but it's certainly not sending its rival to an early grave.
Long-term, though? Apex has already defied expectations. Who's to say it won't keep doing so?
Will there be a PvE mode?
After Respawn released Titanfall 2 back in 2016, people raved about the addition of a traditional, single-player campaign, especially after its omission from the original game irked many players and critics. While the sequel still didn't sell nearly as well as the developer hoped, its campaign became the highlight of the game. Now, rumors have started to come out about the potential of a PvE mode for Apex Legends, a game set in the same universe. Could there be some type of story-driven addition, or even a Fortnite: Save the World type of experience?
While there are no specifics about add-ons for Apex, players have done deep dives into the game's code, revealing information about a potential player-versus-environment element. The dev team was quick to push back against data-mining rumors, but savvy gamers have confirmed that this info in the game's source code, and that's quite exciting. There's no telling if, or when, Respawn will announce a PvE game mode, but there are definitely ideas being discussed internally.
Will Titanfall 2's Jack Cooper show up?
As mentioned, fans raved about Titanfall 2's campaign. Its heartwarming story and solid main characters — both human and Titan — resulted in a fantastic gaming experience that, unfortunately, didn't translate to stellar sales numbers. Still, a new game set in that world has players asking questions about whether they'll see more Titanfall tie-ins aside from weapons. Could there be a mode featuring Titans? Will the game ever introduce wall-running? Or, will Apex ever add Jack Cooper to the game?
Cooper, Titanfall 2's human protagonist, had tough shoes to fill. As a pilot in training, Cooper ended up entrusted with a Titan, BT-7274, and embarked on a journey to complete his captain's mission while forming an unbreakable bond with BT. After Apex Legends released, one rumor that floated around had to do with the addition of Cooper as a playable legend. Unfortunately, unlike other rumors rooted in data-mined information, this one seems to be nothing more than a fan-made concept and some wishful thinking on Reddit — for now, at least.
Will Apex Legends come to Nintendo Switch or mobile?
In March 2018, fans of PlayerUnknown's battle royale were treated to PUBG Mobile, an Android and iOS version of the game. Around the same time, Epic Games released its Fortnite mobile port, first for iOS devices and then Android devices in the summer. The developer also came out with the Nintendo Switch version during that same summer. With two of the biggest games in the genre now on mobile, Nintendo, or both, it's only natural to hope and expect that Respawn will release Apex on these platforms.
We know that Respawn wants to bring its new game to the Switch and mobile devices. Lead producer Drew McCoy mentioned to Eurogamer that the team would "love" to make versions for these platforms, but that there's nothing to officially discuss right now. This could mean a number of things. The team could be actively working on these ports, but are just in the early development stages. It could mean that there have been internal discussions, but that sole focus currently remains on fleshing out the PC, Xbox One, and PS4 versions. Time will tell if Apex Legends makes its way to Switch or mobile, but if the game's popularity continues to skyrocket, those ports will be more likely than not.
Is Respawn changing the future of streaming?
The day Apex Legends released, seemingly all the biggest content creators and streamers were playing the game. Even Ninja, the king of Fortnite, took a break from his game of choice and embarked on a day-long journey through the new battle royale. A few weeks after this, a report came out that EA paid him $1 million to stream the game and tweet about it on Feb. 4, 2019. The report also stated that the publisher had a marketing program involving top creators that it used to promote the game's launch.
Since then, many creators have emerged as big-time Apex streamers. Shroud, a former CS:GO pro, was also one of the paid players on launch day, and quickly became the face of the game's community. Back in mid-March, he made headlines after Respawn gifted him 500 Twitch Prime subs (the equivalent of $2,500) during one of his streams. This resulted in revenue for him and free subscriptions for his viewers.
On the surface, this was a generous gift from developer to content creator. However, it did raise questions about the future of streaming. With Respawn and EA putting so much emphasis on a streamer-centric marketing plan — and seeing success because of it — will more game companies follow suit? If games start to follow this model — relying heavily on content creators as advertisers — it could affect your favorite gamers' streaming choices. It may mean more money for them, but less of what you're looking for during your Twitch consumption.
Will Respawn ever make the Mozambique a good gun?
To date, the Apex Legends community has made what seems like a billion memes and jokes about the Mozambique, a shotgun-pistol that sometimes feels like the only gun in the game, depending on your luck. Since launch, players have maligned the weapon for its high drop rate, low damage numbers, and slow reload times. It is, without a doubt, the least popular weapon in the game. Oh, and the developers know this, but don't sound interested in buffing or revamping the gun at all.
Yet, despite all its flaws, the Mozambique is not without its charm. Aside from the many, many internet-based gags it has spawned over the past months, there are people in the community hoping to turn the lame weapon into something positive for the world. Recently, the East African nation of Mozambique was devastated by a massive cyclone. It resulted in a large death toll and the destruction of many villages. Shortly after, a Reddit user and Apex fan suggested a way to aid the nation: create a skin for the gun and donate the proceeds to Mozambique to aid in its relief.
There's no word on whether Respawn will put this idea into action, but it's encouraging that this community of players wants to help out in a unique way. So, while the Mozambique may never be "good" for in-game use, it may end up doing some good in the real world.
Will the game introduce a dual-wield feature?
In one of the main promotional images for Apex Legends, it shows the support Legend Lifeline brandishing two pistols. This is curious, as nothing about her design or skill set suggests that she can dual-wield. The same goes for every other Legend in the game. Why would Respawn and EA continue to utilize this particular photo — a photo that's inaccurate to the current state of the game — for marketing purposes?
If you're a fan of Fortnite, surely you know that dual-wielding weapons has become a big part of the game's meta. Last year, Epic added dual pistols to the game, but later vaulted and subsequently re-released them during various content updates. The weapon was viewed as a significant step up from the single pistol, which wasn't exactly popular. Considering Apex has a couple of weaker, one-handed weapons (Mozambique, P2020) with high drop rates, a dual-wield feature could be a smart way to get players to use them seriously. So far, dual-wielding is nothing more than a thought and suggestion from invested players and Redditors, but you can bet the devs have taken notice and discussed what it would bring to the experience.
What will the next game map look like?
If the Apex Legends team truly wants the free-to-play title to be a "ten-year game," then it has to continually offer new content and updates to its player base. So far, Respawn has added in a new weapon, a new legend, and the Season 1 Battle Pass, complete with new skins, banners, and voice quips. That's no small amount of content considering that it's still a very fresh experience. However, there's still one big thing that the developers haven't added yet: a new map.
Kings Canyon, the first and so far only map, has been a fantastic jumping off point for the game. Its varied terrain and sprawling, loot-filled areas have made for exciting gameplay. Still, there will come a time when players grow weary of playing the same map every single day, and that's why the devs have to add new maps. It sounds like Respawn already understands that, as another map is in the works.
CEO Vince Zampella stated that, before settling on Kings Canyon, the team tested out other maps of varying sizes, and mentioned that the game could see bigger ones in the future, if the fun factor is there. And recently, popular data miner Real Apex Leaks found evidence of a new map in the form of a map select button file, indicating that there's a new map in the works. While we have no idea what it will look like, there's a chance it'll be even bigger than its predecessor.
Will there ever be solo or duo modes?
Apex Legends was designed with teamwork in mind. Between its in-depth communication system that includes the ability to ping loot and enemies and voice-to-text options, Respawn wants you and your fellow players to operate as a unit to become champions. Because the game relies heavily on team cooperation, there's only one mode, based around three-person squads. Despite that, some players want solo and duo modes similar to the ones found in Fortnite and PUBG. While this will change the composition of the game, and make support players like Lifeline and Pathfinder harder to use, some battle royale fans desire the thrill of playing with just one friend or going it alone.
Back during the first days of Apex data mining, players stumbled upon files that mentioned solo and duo modes, which all but confirmed that these were in the works for the future. However, after the Season 1 update in March, the developers removed those files from the game, leading players to believe that the team scrapped those modes for the time being. While nothing's been confirmed about different squad sizes one way or another, don't expect to fight your way through Kings Canyon with smaller teams anytime soon.
Should you worry about your account being banned?
After Season 1 began, Respawn revealed that it had banned nearly 500,000 accounts due to hacking and cheating since the game's launch. Not only did it nix the accounts, but it also banned the hardware associated with those accounts. This meant that, if you were playing on PC — where the majority of hackers do their damage — you could no longer use that physical machine to play Apex Legends.
This policy is a huge step in the right direction for combating hackers in multiplayer games, but it has some players worried that they'll feel the banhammer's wrath despite playing the game in the correct way. With the start of Season 1, the devs added in a report-a-player feature, allowing gamers to report others for spamming, abuse, or cheating. So, of course, you should expect to see this system abused by poor sports and players with bad attitudes. You've probably been unfairly reported by a bad opponent in a multiplayer game at least once in your gaming life. Still, Respawn has done a great job of banning the appropriate accounts thus far, so there's no reason to worry about losing your account. Just make sure you continue playing the game fairly and legitimately.
Will there be long-term support for this game?
Free-to-play games always come with the stipulation that devs and publishers could pull the plug on them at any time. Because these experiences rely so heavily on consistent player bases and microtransactions, poor sales often lead to quick deaths. For example, Epic Games' Paragon shut down back in 2018, citing a lack of vision for the game's future. Players suggested that the active community was far smaller than the reported user base, and the team shuttered it before it ever left the beta phase. Another free-to-play MOBA, Gigantic, suffered a similar fate in 2018, shutting down after mediocre sales. For an online multiplayer game to succeed, the community has to support it, otherwise it has no chance of sticking around long-term.
For fans of Apex Legends, the good news is that there's clear support from the gaming community. With over 50 million players worldwide, Respawn and EA have a true hit on their hands. An outlined path in the form of its three-month Battle Pass seasons, new Legends on the horizon — including a second addition in Season 1 — and a plethora of potential content in the future illustrate that the developers are in this for the long haul. Right now, there are plenty of reasons to expect that Apex is on a trajectory more akin to Fortnite, not Paragon.