During a recent Reddit AMA, Respawn Entertainment’s development team provided critical insights into one of the more controversial additions to Apex Legends’ weapon meta: the introduction of Accelerated weapons. Players shared their strong opinions on these weapons, questioning Respawn’s decision to place this powerful new hop-up attachment primarily on already-popular firearms rather than weaker alternatives. Developers addressed these concerns head-on, clarifying their rationale behind Accelerated weapons and discussing the future of weapon balance.
What Are Accelerated Weapons?
First introduced during Season 23’s “Takeover” event, Accelerated weapons significantly changed the dynamic of Apex’s gunplay. These weapons, when equipped with the Accelerator hop-up, grant additional ultimate charge and EVO shield progression after achieving kills or knocks. Notably, popular weapons such as the Nemesis and the G7 Scout were selected as primary recipients of this hop-up.
While these changes provided exciting opportunities for skilled players, they also sparked debate within the Apex Legends community. Players expressed confusion and concern, asking why Respawn chose to attach such a powerful hop-up to already strong and heavily utilized weapons.
Respawn’s Reasoning: Ensuring Engagement
During the AMA, Game Designer Casey (u/RSPN_Caseroos) explained Respawn’s thought process behind giving powerful weapons like the Nemesis AR and G7 Scout the Accelerator hop-up. According to Casey, early internal testing at Respawn initially placed the Accelerator hop-up on lower-performing weapons like the RE-45 and 30-30 Repeater, with the intention of boosting these underutilized firearms.
However, this strategy backfired, as Casey shared openly:
“In early testing of Accelerated weapons, we tried adding the Accelerator hop-up onto lower performing weapons like the RE45 and 30-30. In short, we found that despitethis delicious cookie of extra ultimate and EVO gains, the Accelerated weapons still were not being used.”
Simply put, placing the Accelerator hop-up onto weaker guns didn’t yield Respawn’s desired effect of increasing player engagement. The hop-up was largely ignored, as players continued favoring stronger weapon options regardless of the added perks. To ensure the hop-up would become a meaningful part of Apex gameplay, Respawn shifted their approach, placing the Accelerator onto guns players naturally gravitated towards—hence, the Nemesis and G7 Scout were selected.
In addition to these popular weapons, the CAR SMG—a solidly mid-tier firearm at the time of the changes—also received the Accelerator hop-up. This was done explicitly to provide extra Support to a gun that Respawn felt deserved more attention.
Community Concerns: Balance and Overpowered Potential
Many players, while appreciative of Respawn’s transparency, remained skeptical. They argued that by placing a strong hop-up onto already popular guns, Respawn inadvertently created an imbalance in weapon choices. Players have reported feeling forced to choose Accelerated weapons simply to keep pace competitively, restricting strategic diversity in loadouts.
Another issue highlighted was the functionality of Accelerated weapons when stowed. Many players were concerned that these guns continued to grant bonuses even if they weren’t actively held during combat, potentially becoming overly powerful.
Addressing this directly, Casey elaborated that Respawn had indeed tested a version of the Accelerator hop-up that only granted ultimate charges if the weapon was actively wielded. Unfortunately, this implementation proved frustrating during internal testing, as players often forgot to switch weapons specifically for bonuses, diminishing the hop-up’s intuitive feel:
“The feedback was that it was frustrating when getting the knock or kill and realizing, ‘Oh no! I forgot to swap to my G7… Now I don’t get the extra ultimate charge.’ After a great fight, players don’t want to be penalized for a forgotten swap.”
Consequently, the developers prioritized an intuitive, rewarding gameplay loop over strict balance, allowing players to enjoy the hop-up’s benefits consistently.
Future Adjustments and Community Feedback
Respawn’s developers made it clear throughout the AMA that their balancing philosophy revolves around bold initial moves, followed by careful monitoring and community-driven adjustments. Accelerated weapons, though contentious, have succeeded in achieving Respawn’s goal of adding a powerful new dynamic to combat engagements.
The development team assured players that feedback continues to inform ongoing balance decisions. If Accelerated weapons remain overly dominant or restrict player choices significantly, Respawn is ready to introduce targeted tweaks or revisions.
The transparency offered by Respawn has fostered deeper trust within the Apex community. Players now better understand why Accelerated weapons were implemented in their current form and can expect ongoing monitoring and adjustments based on evolving gameplay data and community sentiment.
For further details and direct responses from Respawn’s development team, visit the full AMA thread here.
FAQ on Accelerated weapons in Apex Legends
Why did Respawn place the Accelerator hop-up on already powerful weapons?
Respawn initially tested the Accelerator hop-up on lower-performing guns like the RE-45 and 30-30 Repeater. However, they discovered players still avoided these weapons, despite the added perks. To ensure player engagement, they shifted the hop-up to stronger, more popular weapons such as the Nemesis and G7 Scout.
Is Respawn aware that Accelerated weapons feel overpowered?
Yes. Developers acknowledged community concerns about Accelerated weapons potentially being too strong. While the hop-up achieved the intended goal of increasing engagement, Respawn continues to monitor feedback closely and is open to adjustments based on player experiences.
Why do Accelerated weapons grant bonuses even when stowed?
Respawn explained they tested a version where the hop-up only worked if the weapon was actively held, but players found this mechanic frustrating due to unintentionally missing bonuses. The developers prioritized intuitive and rewarding gameplay over strict balance.
Will weaker weapons eventually get the Accelerator hop-up?
While there’s no immediate plan to shift the Accelerator hop-up back to weaker weapons, Respawn remains open to experimenting with future adjustments based on gameplay data and ongoing community feedback.
How will Respawn address community feedback about Accelerated weapons in the future?
Respawn emphasized that their balancing strategy involves bold initial changes followed by careful, data-driven adjustments. They remain committed to monitoring the community’s reactions closely, making targeted balance changes as needed to keep gameplay fair and engaging.
