When Apex Legends burst onto the scene in February of 2019 fans around the world were psyched about the fast-paced hero-based battle royale from Respawn Entertainment. Many aspects of the game were and still are unique to the genre.
As Respawn continues to support Apex Legends tirelessly, one mode is still nowhere to be found, other than in limited test form, and that’s a permanent Solos mode.
Recently Apex Legends saw the addition of The Old Ways Event, which saw a new area added to World’s Edge, new content and skins, and more. But Respawn also directly tackled the issue of Solos mode in the patch notes that came with the update:
This quote within the patch notes came alongside the permanent addition of duos to Apex Legends, something fans have been clamoring for for quite some time.
When we introduced Solos as a limited-time mode last year we saw it actually negatively impacted the game, especially when it came to new player retention. We’ve also purposely designed Legends and their abilities to compliment teamplay and squad composition, but when played Solo some Legend abilities become useless. These are just some of the reasons we decided not to include Solos in today’s update. We’re still exploring ways to allow a Solo experience, but for now grab a friend (or two) and jump into the arena.
As the Solos mode quote from Respawn notes, the abilities that the Legends have in Apex Legends were created mostly for team play. Someone like Lifeline, who has a Passive ability of reviving her knocked down teammates faster while being protected by a shield, seems rather pointless in a Solos mode. It’s just different than other battle royales that don’t focus on abilities.
Respawn also mentions that Solos negatively impacted new player retention, meaning it probably wasn’t too fun for players who jumped into the mode, only to get smacked down by the competition without having teammates (again maybe harkening back to the game being built on teamwork). With Call of Duty: Warzone hitting milestones that Fortnite and Apex Legends didn’t meet, it’s wise of Apex Legends to rely on what makes the game special.
Respawn does an excellent job of supporting the game. As previously mentioned, Duos was something that fans truly wanted, and now it is permanently in the game. New Legends, guns, and map alterations are routinely added as well. With Season 5 right around the corner, it is likely that Loba will be the next Legend added to the Apex Legends. Even if Respawn doesn’t add Solos, it will continue to support the game adequately.
Apex Legends is free-to-play on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
