After the announcement that Season 22 of Apex Legends will feature two battle passes, the game’s Steam page has been bombarded with negative user reviews. Prior to this announcement, the game was receiving a mix of positive and negative reviews, averaging around 150 to 300 negative reviews per day. However, in the aftermath of the battle pass changes, the game has accumulated a staggering 35,035 negative reviews, plummeting its July score to “overwhelmingly negative.” Only 1,997 of the reviews posted post-announcement are positive.
Since Season 1: Wild Frontier in March 2019, Apex Legends has followed a consistent formula for its battle passes. Each season would introduce a new battle pass with 110 levels of cosmetics and in-game currency for players to unlock upon purchase. Previously, players could either buy the battle pass for 950 Apex Coins ($9.50 USD) or opt for the 2,800 AC ($28 USD) bundle that immediately unlocked the first 25 levels. However, with Season 22, Respawn has decided to shake things up by introducing two 60-level battle passes per season, one at the beginning and the other at the midpoint.
Along with the revamped battle pass structure, there has also been a price adjustment. Each battle pass will now cost $10 USD ($20 USD for the upgraded version), and they can no longer be purchased using Apex Coins. This change has left many players disgruntled since the previous system allowed players to essentially earn the next season’s battle pass for free by using the Apex Coins received in the current battle pass. With the new changes, players will have to shell out more money per season, lose the ability to obtain the battle pass for free, and tackle an additional 10 levels of content.
Furthermore, the introduction of the mid-season split means that players will have less time to unlock all the rewards in each battle pass. Given that the average season in Apex Legends lasts about three months, players often wait until the end to grind out the necessary XP to complete their battle pass. However, with the new system, players will need to make sure they reach all 60 levels within a month-and-a-half, adding additional pressure and reducing the time available to earn rewards.
The Community’s Response
Players who have invested considerable time and money into Apex Legends are feeling shortchanged by these changes. Many long-time players have expressed their disappointment, with one reviewer stating, “Buying the battle pass for free with the money from older ones is literally the only thing that makes you feel rewarded as an older player and they removed that from us.” The sentiment is echoed by others who feel that the new system undermines the sense of progression and rewards that they had come to expect from the game.
The recent alterations to the Apex Legends battle pass system have sparked a wave of criticism and discontent among the player base. The decision to introduce two battle passes per season, alongside a price increase and the removal of the ability to purchase passes with in-game currency, has left many feeling disillusioned and undervalued. As the game continues to evolve, it will be crucial for developers to carefully consider and respond to the feedback from the community in order to maintain a positive player experience and uphold the game’s overall reputation.
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