Gamers can't get enough of Apex Legends. Over 50 million people have played the game since it was released on February 4, and it has seemingly taken the discourse from other battle royale games like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite. It's also received a stellar response from gamers and critics alike, both of which have praised the fast-paced gameplay, weapon mechanics, ping system, and unique character abilities. Put simply, there's no other battle royale game like it.
But, like... every game, it's not perfect. While we won't deny that it's a great game, we also can't help but notice some problems that the die-hard fans are not noticing (or at least willfully ignoring). Nearly every aspect of the game is flawed in some capacity, although some flaws are obviously more damaging than others. Some of the problems are admittedly nitpicky, and they consist of little more than quality-of-life problems. But quality-of-life problems are still problems. Other issues are far more serious, and they may impact the longevity of the game if they are not swiftly dealt with.
Of course, with any issue, opinions will differ. Some people will not have a problem with what others are having problems with, and that's fine. And we're not saying that these problems ruin the game for everyone. Rather, we are simply pointing out the issues that players are having, even if a small segment of the community are having problems with that particular issue. That said, let's get into the 25 things that are wrong with Apex Legends that everyone chooses to ignore.
24 Connection Issues Are Abundant
Perhaps the most blatant issue with Apex Legends is its persistent connection issues. Whether you're on consoles or PC, you will experience it. Sometimes players can't even get into a game, forever stuck in the main menu while the game spins its wheels. Some players completely freeze up in the middle of a game. And sometimes they are kicked out entirely. This is especially frustrating when you're in the middle of a good game or gunfight, and it's something that desperately needs to be addressed.
23 Lag Is An Inevitability
We suppose lag can be a problem for every video game, but that doesn't excuse the fact. Many players have reported struggling under extreme lag in certain cases, and it's staring to get annoying. The lag can range from slightly annoying to severe – from the odd frame rate dip to running in place and/or struggling through stutters. Many players also report severe lag upon landing, which can persist for minutes at a time. Nothing takes you out of a game more than starting it with lag.
22 No Punishment For Leaving
Apex Legends has a huge problem with players leaving the game. And in a game that requires teamwork, this is unacceptable. You've all experienced it – one player goes down and immediately leaves the game, leaving your team at a significant disadvantage. There needs to be some sort of punishment for players who prematurely leave the game. Yeah, they don't get the XP that they earned, but really, who cares? People always seem to value their time more than their XP, so something else needs to be done.
21 Wildly Inconsistent Hitboxes
If there's one thing that will make you throw your controller in anger, it's trying to hit a Wraith. One major problem with this game is its wildly inconsistent hitboxes. While Wraith and Lifeline are like baby ants, Gibraltar and Caustic are like rhinos, and their hitboxes reflect that. This of course leads to much less experimentation, as everyone just mains Wraith, Lifeline, and Bangalore. Yeah, you'll get the odd Caustic or Pathfinder, but be prepared to give them all the armor and syringes. They'll need it.
20 Everyone Has The Same Amount Of Health
A similar problem is that every character has the same amount of health. This becomes a major problem when you consider the inconsistent hitboxes. How is it fair that Gibraltar has the same amount of health as Wraith? Many players have been clamoring for a more balanced health pool. For example, give Wraith less health to make up for her minuscule hitbox and give Gibraltar more to buff his massive frame. As it stands, this is even more incentive to main the smaller characters over the bigger ones.
19 Too Many Useless Abilities
It's no secret that some characters' abilities are better perceived than others. Many people love Lifeline's care packages and health drone, and others utilize Bangalore's smoke and dash to great extent. But most players would agree that some abilities are downright dumb. Non-Pathfinder mains make fun of his "useless" abilities, and others think that Gibraltar's shield doesn't do enough to warrant its existence. Others argue that Caustic's gas traps are particularly dumb because they affect his teammates as well. Hey, don't hate us. We're just the messengers.
18 So Many Hackers And Cheaters
Respawn has a major cheating problem on their hands. And no, this isn't "cheating" as in "this guy defeated me, so he must be cheating." No, these are legitimate cheaters, and they're starting to significantly impact the game (particularly on PC.) Many notable streamers, including DrDisRespect, have called on Respawn to deal with the cheaters, and on March 8, Respawn declared that they had already banned 355,000 players for cheating. It's certainly a start, and it's nice to see Respawn actually doing something about the situation.
17 No Feature To Stay Together
We don't know about everyone else, but we would love to be able to stay with a team, especially after a win. There's no better feeling than winning a game after working well with a team of strangers (especially if you haven't been talking.) Unfortunately, you are all forced to go your separate ways after the game. It would be really cool if Respawn implemented a team-up system so winning teams could play together again. It's a little quality-of-life implementation that could go a long way.
16 Trios Can Be Problematic
Apex Legends is unique in that it consists of teams of three, and this means that communication and teamwork are essential. However, there's always that one teammate who goes off by themselves and/or leaves the game. This isn't fair to the other players, and it's very hard for a duo (or a single player) to win. We suppose this is more of a problem with the players than the game itself, but it wouldn't be an issue if there were more gameplay options.
15 No Duos
For example, duos would be a fantastic implementation, and its absence may sorely hurt the game's longevity. While random players will undoubtedly continue to leave games, duos lends itself more to friendly, co-operative play – two experienced friends would no longer need a random third who leaves halfway through the game. Fans have been clamoring for a duos mode since the game's release, and we think Respawn should listen. We're sure it's coming, but it's going to be a long wait.
14 A Lack Of Updates
Speaking of long waits, there has been a noticeable lack of updates over the preceding month. The Havoc rifle was released a few weeks after the game's release, and Respawn recently patched the game with various quality-of-life fixes, like slowing the Wingman's firing rate and buffing Caustic's gas traps. But aside from that, there has been a curious lack of anything substantial, despite frequent begging by the game's fanbase. No new characters or maps, no weapons (aside from the Havoc,) and no new game modes. We can't wait for... something.
13 No Custom Lobbies For Competitive Play
Many people are happy with the game's system, but it's significantly hindering the competitive scene. While the game has only been out for a month, there have already been numerous professional tournaments. And while these are fun, viewers are asking for custom lobbies so the teams can face off against each other. As it stands, teams play in separate public matches and win by accumulating the most KOs and victories. It's not nearly as fun as actually watching them compete against each other.
12 Bad Weapon Balancing
There are twenty weapons in this game, but everyone plays with the same five or six, and that's because the weapons are very badly balanced. Quite frankly, it's getting a little boring. Everyone typically goes with one of the two shotguns (but usually the Peacekeeper,) the Spitfire, the Wingman, and maybe the R-99 and/or R-301. That's about it. No one ever touches the pistols or the sniper rifles, and many machine guns are left to collect dust. We need some more variety up in here.
11 The Wingman Is Too OP
There's always that one gun that is way too OP, and in Apex Legends, that gun is the Wingman. The Wingman does insane amounts of damage, has a long range, and can be buffed with the extended heavy mag. Yes, you need to be accurate to use it, but those that are will always dominate. Respawn recently responded by making it more rare and slowing its firing rate, but it's still way too good. Something else needs to be done, like removing its capability to hold an extended heavy mag.
10 The Mozambique Is Terrible
Even the hilarious memes can't sugarcoat the Mozambique's crappiness. It truly is utterly useless. It deals minuscule damage, and it only holds three rounds. By the time your opponent realizes that they're being hit with a pea shooter, you'll be reloading (for a long time) and jumping around in a panic. Respawn seems to be in on the joke, and while that's definitely funny, it begs the question - why did they even include it in the first place if they know how bad it is?
9 The Mastiff Isn't Good Enough
This may boil down to personal preference and skill, but some people feel that the golden Mastiff isn't good enough for its status. It deals great damage, but you have to be VERY close to your target. If you're not practically breathing down their neck, a well-armored opponent can withstand three, and maybe even four, shots from the Mastiff. For such a rare weapon, it should be dealing more damage. As it is, you may as well just use a Peacekeeper with the precision choke.
8 Bullet Drop/General Slowness
This is another gameplay element that boils down to personal preference. Most people are used to first person shooters without bullet drop – you shoot at an opponent, and they get hit. On the other hand, Apex Legends employs bullet drop, which is especially noticeable with sniper and assault rifles. In some cases you can even see your opponent dodging the bullets that are still in the air. It's an integral part of the game, but it can certainly be annoying.
7 Lack Of Matchmaking
It seems as if Apex Legends has completely forgone a matchmaking system. It's not uncommon to see a level 1, a level 30, and a level 85 all on the same team, and it makes for incredibly awkward teamwork and camaraderie. While the level 1 may just want to get a feel for the game, the level 85 is bossing them around and becoming frustrated when they inevitably perform poorly. Matchmaking has never been a perfect art, but this is just ridiculous.
6 No Team Balancing
The team balancing is also off. One team may consist of inexperienced, low-leveled players while the champion squad consists of three level 96s, all of who have 1,000 wins and 10,000 KOs. Now how on Earth is that fair? If the game can't match-make, it should at least try to balance the teams. As it is, we have new players squaring off against professionals. It's like dropping a Little League team into the MLB and expecting them to hit home runs.
5 It Can Be Horribly Unfair
A major flaw of the battle royale genre is that it can be horribly unfair. You can be on the most experienced team in the world, but if you drop into a barren area while everyone else collects purple shields and gold guns, you are done for. Good skills only go so far in these types of situations, and battling a purple-shielded Spitfire with a P2020 can seem incredibly unfair. But we suppose that's just battle royale. You win some, you lose some.