Apex Legends is officially getting a new game mode takeover following the end of Solos. While many thought that Solos game mode would revert back to Duos at the end of its six weeks, that's not the case. Instead, fans are getting the first-ever Quads game mode in Apex Legends.
As part of the Double Take Collection Event, Apex Legends players will be able to grab an extra friend and dive into matches of 4-legend squads beginning June 25 and lasting until August 6. This is no doubt surprising for many fans. Apex Legends bringing back Solos after Respawn said it never would was shocking enough, but now it's going in the complete opposite direction for the first time ever.
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While fans may be worried that bigger teams mean longer fights (and more third-party interactions), plenty of thoughtful balancing has been put into the game mode. The Best War Games sat down with designer John Larson at Summer Game Fest who explained that Quads results in longer fights, "and on paper, you'd think longer fights mean a higher likelihood of third party, but there's five less squads." Because of this simple fact, Larson explained, the "third-party rate actually went down quite a bit" during testing. This is a result of there being fewer squads to perform a third party, and the fact that engagements are a lot more involved than standard Trios might have some squads second-guessing the tactic.
This will no doubt allow players to try out new strategies and team comps in Apex Legends, especially when it comes to meta interactions and loot. In general, players can expect more loot, pre-kitted weapons, and other updates to keep everything as balanced as possible.
Apex Legends Quads Features
- June 25 to August 6
- Takeover of the Duos game mode
- 60-player lobbies: 15 squads of 4
- Loot improvements include, but are not limited to, increased amounts of ammo, attachments, and deployable items. There are also increased chances of finding Blue/Purple weapons.
- The lobby will support a 4th player now.
- Minor visual upgrades and elements have been added, such as Mirage decaying 4 squad members from the dropship, Valkyrie's Ultimate attaching everyone, and so forth.
Larson also explained that Respawn is willing to challenge the status quo since Apex Legends is now 5 years old, and Solos and Quads accomplish just that. Speaking on what Respawn has learned from Solos, he explained it gave the team additional insight into what fans want out of game modes. Many folks, for example, were vocal about missing duos in Apex Legends, and that's something they are aware of with Quads taking over Duos now too. It also provided further insight into faster loot chases, features like Battle Sense, and how to approach things outside the normal Apex Legends formula.
No doubt, Quads will offer a lot of important lessons for Respawn as well, and it'll be interesting to see how lessons derived from Solos and Quads are implemented moving forward. It's impossible to say what's next, which is refreshing given Apex Legends' age.
Apex Legends
- Released
- February 4, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.
Master an ever-growing roster of diverse legends, deep tactical squad play, and bold new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience—all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.
This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android, Switch
- Genre(s)
- Battle Royale, First-Person Shooter
