Apex Legends: The Shift to Focus on Legends Over Gunplay – What’s Happening to the Game?

Apex Legends is Evolving, but is this change for the better? Today we’ll dive into Respawn’s new direction and what it means for the future of Apex Legends. From major changes in gameplay mechanics to the controversial removal of Revenant, there’s a lot happening.

Let’s break it down and discuss everything Respawn is doing moving forward.

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What’s Happening to Revenant?

For those who missed it, Revenant was temporarily disabled due to a major invincibility exploit that was discovered. However, Respawn has re-enabled him, and the issue has been addressed. If you were one of the unlucky Players who experienced the exploit, don’t worry, those players were banned.

But that’s not the only big change.

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Respawn’s New Philosophy: Legends Over Gunplay

Interview With Apex Legends Dev's "According to Senior Game Designer John Ellenton, this is a result of the team changing their philosophy. Rather than focusing on gunplay, they are trying to make every Legend and their unique abilities overpowered." :/

— Thordan Smash (@Thordansmash) May 13, 2025

Respawn’s senior game designer, John Ellenton, recently shared some insight into the studio’s future plans. Instead of focusing on balancing gunplay, Respawn is shifting their focus to legend abilities. According to Ellenton, Movement is the key to what makes Apex Legends special. Legends like Ash and Sparrow have seen massive increases in pick rates thanks to their unique abilities, particularly their mobility.

However, this approach raises some concerns. The problem with focusing too much on abilities is that it leaves certain legends behind. Legends like Watson are barely picked because they don’t have flashy abilities like Ash or Pathfinder. And it’s not just a Watson problem—the entire Controller legend class is suffering, with some characters barely scraping 1% pick rate.

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The Dilemma of Legend Balance

Respawn has been shifting their focus to certain legend classes each season. A few seasons ago, the Support class was the talk of the town, and most players picked those characters because of their powerful abilities. Next, it was the Assault class, and recently, skirmishers saw their time in the spotlight.

Unfortunately, the controller legends are the last to be touched, leaving them at the bottom of the pick rate. While Respawn is focusing on making legend abilities overpowered, it seems like they’re neglecting the game’s gunplay.

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Why Gunplay Still Matters

Now, some players may argue that abilities are what make Apex unique, but let’s not forget that this is a first-person shooter. The core of a first-person shooter should be gunplay. If Respawn continues to focus on abilities while neglecting new weapons, the game risks losing its charm.

Consider Titanfall, where the incredible gunplay combined with movement mechanics made the game stand out. If Respawn moves too far away from that, it could hurt the long-term appeal of Apex Legends.

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The Decline in Weapon Additions

Since Season 11, Apex Legends has seen a significant drop in new weapons. After the introduction of the Car SMG, it took five seasons before the Nemesis was added, and since then, we’ve only had the dual wield P2020s and the Bocek Bow making a return.

In comparison, other shooters like Halo have a steady stream of new weapons that keep things fresh. It’s a missed opportunity for Apex to not add new ways for players to shoot their guns, especially when Respawn’s pedigree in gunplay is so strong.

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The Financial Side: Legends Are Where the Money Is

Respawn and EA have been focusing on legends, which brings us to another important point: skins. New legends often generate excitement, and players are more likely to spend money on skins for the legends they love. It’s clear that legends sell skins more than weapons do.

Unfortunately, this business strategy is affecting the game’s overall balance. If Respawn keeps focusing on new, overpowered legends, they might be neglecting the meta, and that can hurt the competitive scene as well as the casual player base.

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The Future of Apex Legends: Bright But Concerned

Despite these concerns, Apex Legends still has a lot of potential. The game has a strong core player base, and its player count is steadily increasing, with an average of 1.2 million players—much better than the 100,000 range we saw in the past.

Respawn has been making some solid decisions, but if they continue to prioritize legends over gunplay, it could hurt the game in the long run. It’s important to balance both to keep the game fresh, competitive, and engaging for all types of players, whether you’re a hardcore ranked player or a casual one.

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Final Thoughts: Will Apex Legends Evolve or Decline?

There’s no doubt that Apex Legends is in a period of transition. The addition of new legends keeps the game interesting, but gunplay must not take a backseat in a first-person shooter. Respawn needs to ensure balance in both aspects for the game to remain strong.

What do you think? Will Respawn’s new direction lead to more success for the game, or will it cause players to lose interest in the long run?

Let us know your thoughts, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest Apex news.

For more updates, visit ALegends.gg.

Source: Thordan Smash on YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions about Apex Legends’ Shift in Focus