In the last 12 months, Apex Legend’s weekly average player count has dropped dramatically—from 190,000 to just 120,000. This decrease of almost 40% leaves everyone wondering: Why is everyone leaving the once so beloved action shooter?
The decrease in Apex Legends’ player base is not just a minor dip—it’s a significant downturn for one of the most played games ever, boasting over 100m total players in April 2021. According to data from Steam Charts, Apex Legends has now reached an all-time low in average player numbers on Steam since its launch 2021.
The steep decline comes to no surprise for avid players of the game. Look at any Reddit post in the Apex subreddit and you’ll quickly get an idea of how fans are feeling. Besides being difficult for new players, there’s an influx of cheaters, and a lack of consistent updates. It seems like Apex Legends just isn’t living up to the hype anymore—and there are obvious reasons for that.
1) The learning curve is too steep
One of the most frequently cited reasons for the decline is the game’s steep learning curve, which makes it challenging for new players to get into and for existing players to master it. If you’ve ever played, you know how frustrating it is to walk around for an entire battle royale match, getting to know your surroundings—only to be brutally murdered by a Wraith main before you even know what’s happened.
To be good at Apex Legends you’ll need to put in the hours, find what legend works best for you, and grind countless games. This difficulty isn’t just me being dramatic, the fans agree—it’s a hard game to get into, and even more difficult to git gud.
It’s no Dota 2, but hop into an Apex Legends for the first time and you’ll quickly realize how tough it is to compete against more experienced players who’ve been playing the game for nearly half a decade.
2) Apex is too sweaty
Another significant issue driving players away is the highly competitive, or in Apex terms sweaty, nature of the gameplay. Apex Legends has a reputation for being a game where players constantly have to grind to nominally improve their skill.
When you’re killed in Apex Legends, the player’s stats show on your screen. When you see that you’ve been killed by a player who’s got multiple high-level achievements, like 20 Bomb or Triple Master badges, it can quickly get disheartening. Especially when you’re just starting out and you’re getting matched with the same player three matches in a row.
Other games like Fortnite or Warzone can have anyone familiar with first person shooters hop in and do a decent job. But Apex Legends has a high barrier of entry, and to be any good with a particular Legend—requires a lot of sweaty grinding.
3) Apex Legends isn’t casual
Many players have voiced their dissatisfaction with the lack of truly casual game modes in Apex Legends. While Respawn has introduced modes like Team Deathmatch and Control, Battle Royale is still by far the most popular mode—but is often filled with overpowered players.
This skill difference can make it difficult for casual players to enjoy the game, and the long match time for Battle Royale makes it hard for anyone to pop in for a casual game.
4) Smurfs, cheaters, poor matchmaking
Isn’t a Smurf one of those little blue guys? Yes, but a smurf in Apex Legends refers to an experienced player using a new account to match with beginners and just absolutely dominate less skilled opponents. Smurfing, combined with poor matchmaking, is one more of Apex’ problems that are driving players away.
This issue is emphasized by the presence of actual cheaters, who use hacks to gain unfair advantages. Many players have taken to Reddit to express their frustration with the game’s matchmaking system, which often pits them against much more skilled opponents. These issues create an unbalanced environment and a frustrating experience, especially for casual players.
5) Aggressive monetization strategies
In-game events used to be free and you would get limited in-game items while participating in fun community events. But the free tier of the events no longer exist, and the cost of in-game events is rising while the value of rewards are decreasing.
This is one of the major points of contention within the community. Players on Reddit have expressed frustration over how events have become more expensive while offering less in return. The ranked grind was already demanding, but in the last few seasons it’s become noticeably more so—and not in a fun RuneScape kind of way.
As Apex becomes more focused on monetization, and less on players and game mechanics, the community is feeling increasingly frustrated, leaning to leave the game instead of waiting for things to change.
6) Stagnant updates
Apex Legends’ content updates used to release new legends every season. It was a major draw for players to keep coming back—but it’s slowed down considerably in the last few years with new characters now being introduced every other season. Most of the updates are only small changes to the map, with one new weapon or map being introduced each year.
This lack of new content is making the game feel stale and giving players a sense that the developers at Respwan simply don’t care.
7) Apex Legends is challenged by new releases
The gaming landscape is always evolving, and Apex Legends is facing stiff competition from new releases. Games like Deadlock and Black Myth: Wukong have attracted a huge number of players in the past months. The action shooter genre is becoming increasingly tougher and so far it seems like Apex is falling behind its competition.
Apex Legends used to be the battle royale game, but with juggernauts like Fortnite and Warzone who update weekly, it’s made it harder for Apex Legends to retain its player base, as gamers have more options to choose from.
So… is Apex Legends dying?
Before we start ringing the death bell for Apex Legends, it’s worth taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. Yes, the game has lost a significant number of players, but let’s put that in context.
Apex Legends is a nearly five-year-old game, and for a game of its age, it’s still doing remarkably well. Even in what some are calling its “worst month ever,” the game is maintaining around 300,000 peak players across platforms. That’s nothing to scoff at.
Comparatively, let’s look at Helldivers 2, which recently lost 90% of its players within just a few months of launch. Apex Legends, on the other hand, has shown resilience, facing challenges and remaining relevant over the years.
Games go through ebb and flow—populations rise and fall depending on various factors such as public tournaments and patches. But for a game that’s been around as long as Apex, maintaining such a large player base is an achievement in itself.
This perspective is important because it highlights that while Apex Legends might be going through a rough patch, it’s far from dead. The game’s community is still strong, albeit angry and frustrated—but with the right adjustments, Respawn Entertainment could turn things around.
Respawn Entertainment’s plans to fight the player decline
Respawn Entertainment has recognized some of the issues and has made efforts to address them. The developers have introduced new game modes, adjusted the ranked system, and attempted to improve matchmaking. However, these efforts have been met with mixed reactions from the community.
While some players appreciate the changes, others feel that they are too little, too late. The question remains whether these efforts will be enough to reverse the decline in player numbers. We’ll have to wait to find out.
Looking ahead, Apex Legends faces an uncertain future. While the developers state that, “the game will look completely different in five years,” will it still have a dedicated player base?
With the current trend of losing players, Respawn needs to make significant changes if they want to keep the remaining community from revolting and eventually—abandoning the game. The game could stabilize if Respawn can successfully address the community’s concerns and introduce better matchmaking and more casual game modes.
However, if the current trajectory continues, Apex Legends could face a slow decline similar to other once-popular games that failed to adapt to changing player preferences. When was the last time you played PUBG?
Will Apex Legend players return?
While Apex Legends remains one of the biggest titles in the battle royale genre, the current trend is not looking good. The combination of a steep learning curve, a highly competitive atmosphere, minimal content updates, and new AAA releases has contributed to its overall decline.
Whether Apex can recover and win back its players will depend on how effectively Respawn Entertainment can address these issues and breathe life back into the game. For now, players should not be too optimistic.