Apex Legends is starting 2025 with major upgrades to address long-standing player concerns.
Respawn Entertainment, the game’s developer, announced on 5 February several improvements to its anti-cheat systems and matchmaking mechanics.
These updates mark a new chapter in the fight against imbalance and cheating within the game.
Crackdown on teaming
The focus of this update is the crackdown on “teaming,” where several squads partner unfairly, mostly in Ranked modes.
Respawn has introduced automated detection algorithms and imposed strict penalties, removing more than 17 million ranked points and banning nearly 1,200 accounts.
These efforts are already showing promise in minimizing such incidents, with continuous refinements to detection systems to limit this exploit further.
In addition to targeting teamers, Respawn is also cracking down on bots, which have been increasingly used for cheating or harassment.
A new machine-learning model designed to identify and prevent bot usage has shown remarkable accuracy in early tests. This model will be fully incorporated into the game soon.
Respawn is also developing a system to notify players when their reports result in action against offenders, improving transparency and trust in the reporting system.
Account security has also improved after multiple high-profile breaches were traced to two vulnerabilities — one in custom match party privacy settings and another in server authentication processes.
Both issues have been resolved, and additional security measures are in place to protect players’ accounts.
Matchmaking has also received notable attention. A new Unranked Pre-Match Skill Display will offer players insight into the skill distribution of their lobby, boosting matchmaking context without revealing specific skill values.
Other updates include using previous performance data to seed new game modes and limited-time modes, helping reduce chaotic early matches and leading to more balanced lobbies. Thus, Seasonal Ranked resets will be less drastic, ensuring placements are consistent.
In addition, Respawn is experimenting with Apex Bots to help lower-tier players improve their skills.
The developer is exploring matchmaking adjustments to prioritize solo players against other solos while accommodating premade squads.
Looking into the future
These changes reflect Respawn’s ongoing commitment to maintaining Apex Legends as a fair, competitive, and enjoyable game. Players are encouraged to stay engaged and provide feedback as the game evolves.
The company has promised additional details in future updates. For a deeper dive into these changes the full developer breakdown here.
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