Respawn Entertainment Backtracks on Controversial Apex Legends Battle Pass Changes
Following a significant player backlash, Respawn Entertainment has reversed its planned changes to the Apex Legends battle pass system. The proposed changes, announced on July 8th, were met with widespread criticism and resulted in a flood of negative reviews on Steam.
The original plan introduced a two-part battle pass, requiring players to pay $9.99 twice per season. This replaced the previous system where the premium pass could be purchased once for 950 Apex Coins or a $9.99 coin bundle. A new, more expensive "premium+" option was also introduced, further fueling player discontent.
The community's response was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Social media platforms like Twitter (X) and the Apex Legends subreddit were filled with expressions of anger and disappointment. The negative Steam reviews reached a staggering 80,587 at the time of writing.
In response to this outcry, Respawn announced a complete reversal of the changes. The Season 22 update, launching August 6th, will retain the original battle pass structure:
- Free Pass: A free tier of rewards.
- Premium Pass: Available for 950 Apex Coins.
- Ultimate & Ultimate+: Paid tiers at $9.99 and $19.99 respectively. Payment is required once per season.
Respawn acknowledged their communication failures and promised improved transparency going forward. They emphasized their commitment to addressing player concerns, including cheat prevention, game stability, and quality-of-life improvements. Patch notes detailing stability fixes are expected on August 5th.
While the reversal is welcomed, the incident underscores the importance of developer-community communication and the potential consequences of ignoring player feedback. The upcoming Season 22 will be a test of Respawn's commitment to rebuilding trust with its player base.
