Big changes are coming to Apex Legends

It looks like tap strafing isn’t the only thing getting nerfed in their latest patch. Respawn has given gamers an early look at the updates set to go live on the 14th of September.

The update

There are some major changes to the meta of Apex Legends coming soon. The next update to the game, the Evolution Collection Event, is releasing on the 14th of September. Outside of gameplay changes, Rampart is taking over the game.

They have updated the World’s Edge map to include a new location, Big Maude, Rampart’s custom shop. It is a giant tank with a paintball course outside of it. They have also added custom modded paintball weapons, new updates to the arena, and event-limited cosmetics for Wraith, Octane, Pathfinder, Fuse, Bangalore, Rampart, and Lifeline.

The most important news surrounding the update, however, is the changes to the gameplay.

Tap strafing

By now we are sure that you are already tired of the whole tap strafing debacle. Tap strafing is technique that allows players to make a quick turn in mid-air that increases their mobility in the game. Technically it can be done by anyone, it is a legal and unmodded move in the game, however it is much harder to do if you play using a gamepad on PC or on a console.

Unsurprisingly, many gamers didn’t like this. They saw it as Respawn prioritizing console over PC players. They even called for aim assist to be removed from the game. Despite the wave of anger directed at them, Respawn have stuck to their guns and decided to remove it.

In the blog post announcing the new update, they dedicated a section to their reasoning. John “JayBiebs” Larson wrote a lengthy explanation as to why they took tap strafing out of the game, but we think he explained it well in this short quote: “When it comes to accessibility, we often must consider controller players given the constraints compared to M&K. But accessibility isn’t the same as balance design, and it’s a strawman argument to treat it as such.”

Other patches

There were a few other major changes announced in the blog post. The most important of which will affect Rampart, Octane, and the weapon L-STAR.

Rampart is getting some crazy changes. Normally when you deploy Sheila, you are stuck in one place. Now, when the patch release, players will be able to pick up the minigun and using it while moving. However, the gun will only have one magazine, and it will take longer to spin up. Players also have the choice of setting it down, but once it is placed it cannot be picked up.

Octane is getting a serious nerf. His jump distance when using the jump pad will be reduced by 10-15% and his health regeneration will be reduced from 1.5 HP per second to just 1. This is a major nerf and could reduce the number of players interested in using Octane in high level play.

As for the L-STAR, it is also getting nerfed. The price in the Arena has increased to 600. This means that you won’t see it being used until later rounds of the game.