The Decline of Apex Legends
The moment Apex Legends dropped in 2019, it was an instant hit with the gaming populace. The lightning-paced, team-based battle royale had great visuals, cool characters, and was just so much fun to
play. The game saw great player counts, and at one period in time, it really felt like a serious contender among top titles in the genre, such as Fortnite and PUBG. But now, just a few years later, Apex Legends is seeing its lowest player count to date.
So, what happened? The game publisher, EA, is feeling a bit of the heat nowadays over some decisions made recently about monetization, game quality, and general player experience. Let me try to break down what’s going on.
The Controversial New Battle Pass
One of the biggest changes-and complaints-this season is the update to Apex Legends’ Battle Pass. Traditionally, players could use the game’s premium currency called Apex Coins to purchase the pass.
Apex Coins can be earned in small amounts by playing the game or bought with real money. However, the new update ushers in a significant change in the form of two separate battle passes that require real cash to buy.
This move hasn’t gone too well, particularly as it removes the reward for dedicated players who have earned in-game currency. Here’s how it works now:
Two Battle Passes, Twice the Price: Instead of having one battle pass, now there’s been a split decision for two different ones. This is like a forced split by EA in hopes of players purchasing both and, therefore, doubling their revenue. But for most, it just doubles the frustration.
No More Free Premium Currency for Pass Purchases: Since players cannot use Apex Coins to purchase these passes, they have no option other than spending real money. This move has taken away one of the few ways players could earn high-end items without shelling out cash.
Player Frustration: Bugs, Server Problems, and Lack of Improvement
While the battle pass changes have been the most discussed, they are by no means the only issue. The general feeling with Apex Legends seems to be that it is not as exciting and new anymore. Part of this comes down to a real lack of attention to core gameplay issues. Here are a few major complaints:
Ongoing Bugs: Like every game, Apex Legends has had its fair share of bugs and glitches. More recently, though, players seem to feel that these are getting worse or are just not being fixed. For example, some
players report problems with connecting, visual bugs, or random crashes that disrupt their gameplay. This instability makes the game frustrating to play.
Low Server Tick Rate: Perhaps one of the most frustrating issues featured within the game, the low server tick rate bites especially hard for those who are fond of competing on high grounds. The server tick rate represents the time taken by the server to refresh a player’s action. The slower this happens, the grainer the gameplay often feels.
A low tick rate may produce lag or “desyncs,” where what players see isn’t always exactly what really happens. In a game as fast-paced as Apex Legends, this is the difference between winning and not. With a greater focus on higher tick rates for smoother play in most modern games today, Apex Legends feels like a pretty outdated place in that regard.
Weak Anti-Cheating System: Among the other problems that begin to push players away is the weak anti-cheat system of the game. With Apex Legends, as in any competitive game, there is cheating through using hacks for gaining an advantage over others.
While Apex Legends has tried various means to cut off these cheating ways, players have reported that hackers remain one of the more frequent problems in this game. For critical and competitive players, being opposed to cheaters can be irritating and might sometimes make the game unplayable.
EA’s revenue-oriented approach has taken its toll on the game.
In the last few years, EA has certainly doubled down on monetization. Their strategy has shifted from ‘How do we make the game better?’ to ‘How can we get the players to spend more money?’ This is even more evident with the recent battle pass change. It’s okay for games to have some sort of paid content, but Apex Legends players seem to think that, with the way things are going, EA values profit over player experience.
More Monetization, Less Player Satisfaction: Games like Apex Legends survive on a committed player base, but that has certainly not stopped EA from trying harder to milk them dry.
This model featuring two battle passes and the absence of major gameplay improvements could definitely be argued to feel like a cash grab.
Spending-Focused Updates: Instead of regular updates of new content or improvements in gameplay, it would appear that EA invest more in time and ways to monetize the game. Players slowly think that updates are towards spending, not enjoying the game more.
Less Content and Innovation: As much as the publishing firm shifts focus to the source of its revenue, the game is slowly worn out. New maps, exciting events, or fresh features are what make playing any given game interesting to players. Still, since its core shifted to profits, players feel that they are getting less of these exciting contents. The lack of innovation in the game means that long-time players are growing tired and looking elsewhere for more games to play.
The Consequences: A Declining Player Base and Lower Revenue
EA’s decisions have started to backfire. With the player counts of Apex Legends now at an all-time low, one might guess that EA no longer hits their target revenues. Community feedback is clear: the players don’t like the direction in which the game is going, so they’re quitting.
They’re Losing Loyal Players: The players who are quitting are not casual players; most of these were long-time loyal enthusiasts feeling alienated. They invested time-often money-in Apex Legends but feel that EA does not care for what they want anymore. It is always tough to get the loyal players back after they quit the game.
Negative Word-of-Mouth: The gaming community today is pretty vocal, especially through sites such as Reddit, Twitter, and Twitch. Those unhappy players have spoken out loud and warned others of the problems they are having. This negative word-of-mouth just furthers the difficulty in attracting new players and even keeping old ones interested for EA.
Financial Implications: With fewer players, EA has been seeing a decline in revenues, further adding to their pressure to effect change. However, the more they focus on quick revenue, the more they are sacrificing long-term brand loyalty, and that is what keeps games like Apex Legends hot.
What Can EA Do to Right the Ship?
If EA wishes to see Apex Legends back in the limelight this time around, it will have to do things a little differently. Here are a few ways they could attempt to better the game:
Core Issue Fixes First: Instead of going full-on into monetization, EA should instead focus on bug fixes, server improvements, and enhancements to the anti-cheat system. That would go to show that they are indeed caring about the player’s experience.
Rethink Battle Pass Changes: It’s a good start to player redemption by going back to having one battle pass available for purchase with Apex Coins. At the very least, providing them with more ways to earn premium rewards through gameplay shows respect for their time and effort.
Engaging the Community: It would go a long way in healing old wounds if the developer actually listened to the players’ feedback and was responsive to their concerns. In the future, it’s best that EA includes players in any looming updates or changes to ensure the investment of the latter.
Conclusion: A Critical Crossroad
Apex Legends has reached a fork in the road. Recent decisions from EA have infuriated players, and the declining popularity of the game showcases some of those issues. To win back those players and rebuild their reputation, EA is going to have to prove that it’s prioritizing the player experience over the bottom line. If they can refocus on making Apex Legends fun, there’s still hope for its former glory.