We’re diving into a topic that’s getting a lot of buzz: the future of Apex Legends and how the emergence of a new game called Deadlock is causing ripples in the gaming community. With Apex Legends still holding a strong player base five years after its release, there are growing concerns about how this new game could impact the future of Respawn’s beloved battle royale. Let’s explore what’s going on, why top players are making the switch, and whether Apex Legends can continue to hold its ground.
Apex Legends: A Look at the Current State
Since its launch in 2019, Apex Legends has maintained a dedicated player base, with a peak of over 624,000 players at its height. It’s continued to attract professional players, streamers, and content creators. However, despite maintaining a 24-hour peak of over 229,000 active players, many within the Apex community have noticed a shift. Several key figures in the Apex Legends scene are turning their attention elsewhere, and the rising popularity of Deadlock is capturing that interest.
Why Are Players Leaving Apex Legends for Deadlock?
Notable Apex Legends pros and content creators have recently announced their departure from the game to pursue Deadlock, a new title from Valve that has been generating significant hype.
- Hardi, a prominent EMEA Apex Legends pro player, recently announced his retirement from Apex to focus on Deadlock. He’s already invested over 870 hours into the new game and received well wishes from other notable figures, including ImperialHal, who expressed his confidence that Hardi would excel in Deadlock.
- Long-time Apex creator NOCO also made the decision to move to Deadlock. After spending over five years building a community in Apex, NOCO has chosen to follow his viewers’ interests into the new game, expressing excitement about creating content and competing in Deadlock.
It’s not just players either—Sweet, another Apex legend, has mentioned that Deadlock is poised to be “huge,” while LG Giggle declared it the best game they’ve played in years.
What is Deadlock?
So, what is Deadlock, and why is it pulling so much attention away from Apex Legends? Developed by Valve, Deadlock is a hybrid game that combines elements of MOBAs (like League of Legends) with first-person shooting. While the game does feature shooting mechanics, it is not a direct competitor to Apex’s battle royale format. Deadlock’s gameplay revolves around team-based strategy, capturing lanes, and outplaying opponents with a mix of tactical abilities and gunplay.
Currently in pre-alpha, Deadlock has already managed to build a significant player base, with an all-time high of 171,000 players. Its unique blend of MOBA-style mechanics with first-person shooter elements has drawn interest from a wide array of gamers, especially those who are looking for something different from the traditional battle royale experience.
While Deadlock has yet to fully release, it’s already hosting competitions, like the Aurora Deadlock Masters, signaling that the game’s developers are keen on fostering an esports scene early on.
Apex Legends vs. Deadlock: Can They Coexist?
Despite the growing popularity of Deadlock, it’s essential to note that the two games don’t directly compete in the same genre. Apex Legends is a pure battle royale game, where players are dropped into a large map and must fight to be the last squad standing. On the other hand, Deadlock is more akin to a MOBA shooter hybrid, combining lane control and tactical objectives with first-person gunplay.
This distinction means that while Deadlock may attract players who are burned out on Apex Legends, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will replace it entirely. Apex Legends has the advantage of being available on both PC and consoles, while Deadlock, at least for now, is limited to PC. Console players make up a significant portion of Apex Legends’ player base, so it’s unlikely that Deadlock will cause a substantial shift among console users in the near future.
Additionally, Valve has a track record of releasing highly successful and long-lasting games, from Team Fortress 2 to Counter-Strike and Dota 2, so Deadlock is unlikely to fade out quickly like some of Apex’s other competitors, such as The Finals or XDefiant. However, Deadlock is not necessarily gunning for the battle royale market directly, and Apex Legends remains a juggernaut in that space.
Apex Legends’ Strategy to Stay Competitive
In response to the changing landscape, Respawn Entertainment has continued to experiment with new content and updates to keep Apex Legends fresh. One such update is the upcoming Knockout mode, which is slated to arrive in the next split of Season 22. This limited-time mode (LTM) offers a fresh take on gameplay, where players will have infinite respawns and must fight for control over capture points across the map. The twist? The bottom five teams on the leaderboard will be eliminated at the end of each round, adding pressure to keep up the performance throughout the match.
Knockout mode represents Apex Legends’ efforts to diversify its gameplay offerings beyond the traditional battle royale format. It’s an attempt to keep the community engaged by offering something new and dynamic, which could help retain players who might otherwise drift toward other games like Deadlock.
Is Deadlock the Apex Killer?
While Deadlock is gaining traction, it’s important to note that many games have been hailed as potential “Apex killers”, only to fall short. For instance, The Finals, which debuted nine months ago with a peak player base of 242,000, quickly dwindled to just over 12,000 active players, and XDefiant by Ubisoft similarly failed to sustain its momentum after launch.
That said, Deadlock has a few advantages over these games, primarily due to Valve’s involvement. Valve has a reputation for producing games with long lifespans and loyal player bases. Titles like Counter-Strike and Dota 2 have dominated their respective genres for years, and it’s reasonable to expect that Deadlock could enjoy a similarly long run, especially with the combination of MOBA mechanics and FPS elements that appeal to a wide audience.
However, Apex Legends is far from dead. The game continues to boast a strong player base and a dedicated fan community. Apex’s biggest advantage remains its foothold in both the PC and console markets. Deadlock, on the other hand, will likely take a significant amount of time before it’s ported to consoles, giving Apex plenty of breathing room.
What Lies Ahead for Apex Legends?
Apex Legends isn’t just sitting idly by as new competitors arise. The developers are clearly pushing to evolve the game with updates like the Knockout LTM, new battle pass content, and seasonal events to keep players engaged. If Respawn continues to innovate and address some of the community’s long-standing issues, such as audio bugs and skill-based matchmaking, Apex Legends could continue to thrive, even in the face of new competition.
In the end, competition from games like Deadlock could actually push Apex Legends to improve and stay relevant. As more players and content creators shift to try out new games, it creates pressure on Respawn to deliver high-quality updates and fresh content that will keep players coming back.
For more insights into Apex Legends updates and the growing competition in the gaming world, you can visit the Apex Legends official news page to stay up-to-date with everything that’s happening in the world of Apex.
