An Apex Legends leaker has discovered a line of code added in the 11.0 patch that suggests the next-gen update could be on the horizon.
Season 11 of Apex Legends has arrived and players are finally getting to grips with the brand new Legend Ash, CAR SMG, and tropical Storm Point map.
Despite this, while the community is always craving new content from Respawn, a lot of players are looking forward to the long-awaited next-gen upgrade that’s set to take Apex’s visuals to another level.
Although the update was originally scheduled to launch in 2021, heading into November, a lot of the community have assumed the release date has been pushed back.
Well, a line of code added to the game files in the 11.0 patch has given players hope that the next-gen patch isn’t too far away.
When is the Apex Legends next-gen update coming?
After diving into the game files following the Season 11 update, reliable dataminer Shrugtal discovered that the devs have added entries related to the next-gen update.
While the PS5 code was introduced with a hotfix last season, the devs have finally added ‘Hardware_XB5’, the internal codename for next-gen Xbox.
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Although this doesn’t give us a specific release date, it does show that Respawn is working hard to complete the visual upgrade and it may arrive sooner than expected.
Entries for "XB5" – internal codename for next-gen Xbox, were added in the 11.0 patch, suggesting next-gen release getting very close. This and entries for the PS5 gamepad in a hotfix late last season. pic.twitter.com/NCDudMLYD1
— Shrugtal (@shrugtal) November 16, 2021
So, does this mean the next-gen update is coming in 2021? Unfortunately, it seems unlikely given the silence from the devs on the topic, but it is certainly possible.
With the incredible Storm Point arriving in Season 11, it makes sense why so many Xbox Series X|S and PS5 owners want their console to be pushed to the limit while playing Apex Legends.
However, for now, it’s just a case of waiting for an official announcement from Respawn and keeping an eye on the code for any clues in upcoming patches.
