Apex Legends Season 16 Needs to be Its Biggest Yet If the Battle Royale Wants to Survive

Four years ago, Respawn Entrainment and EA teamed up to surprise launch their take on the battle royale genre: Apex Legends. While it wasn’t the desired Titanfall 3, this Titanfall-inspired free-to-play title saw immediate success, rising to the ranks of the genre’s elite. Again, it wasn’t Titanfall, but there was enough to make this feel like a worthy addition to the Titanfall universe.

Typically, celebrating an anniversary is a big deal as you reflect on the journey and the proverbial “ups and downs” that helped shape your path. Apex Legends has faced a severe amount of “downs,” as the battle royale has traveled a long road, only made worse by recent announcements.

Leading up to turning four, Apex Legends Mobile will be shutdown merely a year after its launch, EA spoke of underperforming numbers last quarter, and the single-player “Titanfall Legends” title a small portion of Respawn Entertainment was working on was canceled, with the members of that team either being reassigned or laid off.

So, turning four has been rough on Apex Legends. The above list of red flags only covers the world outside of the arena, but fear not, it’s not any better on the inside. Since arriving, Apex Legends has been no stranger to criticism as it’s been host to technical issues that have persisted for years. 

Shoddy audio design, constant crashing, Ranked mode feeling hollow, and bugs affecting players mid-tournament in its semi-thriving pro scene: it’s been embarrassing. It reached a point where players were organizing a strike back in August because none of the above issues garnered immediate developer attention. Conversely, if the in-game store stopped working, it would magically be fixed at a moment’s notice.

Yet, the train keeps on rolling. Respawn Entertainment has announced the newest season kicks off in a little under a week aptly titled “Revelry,” which is quite fitting as massive changes are coming to Apex Legends that will “completely reset” the playing field.

A complete revamp to the character roles by breaking them into five distinct classes, sweeping buffs and nerfs to many of the Legends, and the Nemesis Burst assault rifle coming in hot to compete with the big guns, all headlined by no new Legend joining the playable roster are just a few of the major changes coming this season. The comments section is ablaze with fans rejoicing in the potential this season could have, and quite honestly, Apex Legends needed this.

For the past 15 seasons, the battle royale genre has seen a steady decrease in performance. The craze of being the last man standing has cooled off, and while juggernauts like Fortnite are always going to pull in numbers, Apex Legends and Warzone fans are less tolerant of the state of the title that occupies their time.

The game’s overall “decline” has been documented for some time, and if this season doesn’t mark a complete shift in the developers’ approach, then Apex Legends Mobile may not be the only title that closes its doors. When Revelry launches next week, I hope it reignites my passion for Apex Legends.

I’ve already fully submitted to the fact Titanfall 3 may will never happen, and if that’s the plan, then the free-to-play successor better be treated with the utmost love and respect. I’m still holding my breath, as there’s still a whole technical side, Ranked changes, and more balancing that I’d like to see done, but for now, I’m hopeful.