Apex Legends Reverses Battle Pass Course After Fan Outcry

Respawn Entertainment reverses controversial Apex Legends battle pass changes after player backlash. The developer announced a U-turn on its proposed two-part, $9.99 battle pass system for Season 22, following significant negative feedback from the gaming community.

The original plan, introduced on July 8th, involved purchasing a premium battle pass twice per season, effectively doubling the cost. This, coupled with the removal of the option to purchase the premium pass using in-game Apex Coins, ignited a firestorm of criticism. Players voiced their outrage across various platforms, including Twitter (X) and the Apex Legends subreddit, with the Steam page flooded with negative reviews.

Respawn has now confirmed a return to the previous system: a single 950 Apex Coin premium battle pass option for Season 22, alongside free and paid tiered options (Ultimate for $9.99 and Ultimate+ for $19.99). The company acknowledged communication failures and pledged to improve transparency in future updates. They emphasized their ongoing commitment to addressing player concerns, including cheat prevention, game stability, and quality-of-life improvements. Patch notes detailing these improvements are scheduled for release on August 5th, ahead of the Season 22 launch on August 6th.

While the reversal is welcomed by the community, the incident underscores the importance of developer-player communication and the significant impact player feedback can have on game development decisions. Respawn's response, while corrective, highlights the potential consequences of overlooking player sentiment in major game updates.