Jason McCord, Respawn’s Design Director on Apex Legends, has suggested that larger lobbies in Apex Legends are still some way off, if they ever come at all, despite some calls from players for larger game modes.
Since launch, Apex bucked a number of battle royale trends, one of which being setting the lobby size to 60, with 20 teams of three, rather than the more common 100 players.
However, some have called on the game’s developers to release a greater variety of game modes and add more players, with even basic battle royale modes like Solos only making occasional appearances.
Away from the size of teams, players have also called on Apex Legends to add game modes with more players. The standard lobby size is 60 players, and there have been no suggestions this will change, despite rival BRs like Warzone offering lobbies of 200 players in LTMs.
On October 2, Respawn’s Design Director Jason McCord responded to a fan asking for larger lobbies, especially now that Apex Legends crossplay is releasing.
“Now that cross-play is being implemented, which will bring in more players, will we ever see an increase in the lobby size?” the fan asked.
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However, those hoping for such a change may want to look away now, because Jason McCord suggested that such an addition is a long way off, if it is to happen at all.
“Probably not any time soon,” he said. “We think the game is balanced for 60 players, and it’s optimized for 60 players. And our maps are made for 60 players. [There are] So many reasons”.
Probably not any time soon. We think the game is balanced for 60 players, and it’s optimized for 60 players. And our maps are made for 60 players. So many reasons 🙂
— Jason McCord (@MonsterclipRSPN) October 3, 2020
It makes perfect sense that the developers prefer to stick to the numbers the game was designed for, but some fans will be undoubtedly disappointed with the news.
Other BRs have introduced limited-time modes with extra players, creating a faster-paced, chaotic in-game environment. Respawn, though, seem reluctant to shake up the established formula of 60 person lobbies. We’ll just have to trust them for now. It’s got us this far.