“Both of which imply one major problem”: Apex Legends’ Decline Blamed on Upper Management Prioritizing Profits Over “players best interests”
PUBG may have catapulted the battle-royale genre into mainstream gaming, and Fortnite may be the current top dog, but Apex Legends has arguably had the most satisfying gameplay in the genre. The game that once boasted over 600,000 concurrent players on Steam is now struggling to maintain even a fraction of that figure.
Over the holiday season, its player count reached an all-time low, and players are once again wondering what’s next. According to pro player Jacob ‘HisWattson’ McMillin, the game’s upper management at Respawn Entertainment is prioritizing profit over the interests of players, stifling creativity and eroding morale within Respawn Entertainment.
Apex Legends is dying a slow and public death
The numbers paint a grim picture right now. On Christmas Day 2024, Apex Legends recorded its lowest player count on Steam, with just 46,000 concurrent users. This is a big difference from its peak of over 620,000 in early 2023. Despite the holiday season typically bringing an influx of players through new content and promotions, Apex has failed to capitalize.
Incredibly talented people, horrible upper management. Everything I’ve heard from insiders is always the same “we want to do X but we’re not allowed” or “all our suggestions fall on deaf ears” when good ideas slip through the cracks the game is fire but it’s just been milked to… https://t.co/bmaTqxQnJe
— HisWattson (@HisWattson) December 17, 2024
Instead, Respawn and EA have opted to recycle old holiday events and offer cosmetic discounts, disappointing players who had hoped for fresh experiences. The declining player engagement is proof of the growing dissatisfaction among the community, many of whom feel abandoned by the game’s direction.
Jacob ‘HisWattson’ McMillin, a prominent professional player, shed light on deeper systemic problems in a recently released statement on YouTube. After speaking with multiple Respawn employees, he revealed, “The most common phrases I’ve heard are, ‘We want to do (blank), but we’re not allowed,’ and, ‘All our suggestions fall on deaf ears.’”
Wasted breath, it's pointless they'd rather let what is one of their most sucessful IP's die off and get some residual cash out of it, then take a risk with potential of an insane pay-off.
— Calamitious (@CalamitousVX) December 19, 2024
The people behind the game obviously don't care anymore, so why would you waste your time
According to HisWattson, these reflect upper management’s disregard for innovation and player-centric improvements, fostering an environment where developers feel disillusioned and restricted. Wattson isn’t alone in feeling this way. Phillip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen, another Apex pro, has previously declared that “Apex is dying.”
The worst part is that fans still love the game
The frustration within Respawn has also extended to the community. HisWattson criticized EA and Respawn for actively discouraging user-generated content, contrasting Apex’s approach with games like Fortnite and Minecraft, which thrive on fostering community creativity.
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Beyond internal struggles, Apex Legends has made several public missteps. Players have repeatedly voiced concerns about engagement-based matchmaking, lack of meaningful updates, and the game’s monetization. A controversial move earlier this year introduced a split season requiring players to purchase two separate battle passes. You can imagine how that went.
Although the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) still offers substantial prize pools and draws an audience, the broader decline in interest threatens its long-term viability. Even the competitive community is divided. While some enjoy the ALGS matches, they find little reason to play the game themselves due to the condition of ranked matchmaking.
A Reddit user summarizes these feelings perfectly, “Everything unique to it it’s gone and now it’s like every other money grabbing title by EA.” Despite the gloom, Apex Legends still has opportunities to recover. Live-service games often experience peaks and valleys, and Apex could regain momentum with the right updates.
Is Apex going to get better? Probably not, but let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
