The Apex Legends ranked mode expertise is being harmed by an abundance of high-ranked players becoming a member of decrease rated lobbies on smurf accounts, in accordance with some followers of the battle royale recreation. Fans say that the low barrier to entry for brand spanking new accounts to start out taking part in in ranked mixed with the sport’s free-to-play nature is making it too simple for individuals to disrupt lobbies at decrease ranks by taking part in on recent alternate accounts.
Smurfing has lengthy been an issue in nearly each recreation to function a ranked mode. Essentially, it boils all the way down to players – often these of upper talent – beginning recent on a brand new account so they are going to be matched towards weaker opponents and have a neater time. (The title, should you’re curious, originates from two Warcraft II veterans again in 1996 who took to taking part in on alt accounts named “PapaSmurf” and “Smurfette” as they’d turn out to be so infamous that opponents would merely refuse to match up towards them.)
While smurfing has been mentioned continuously in Apex Legends, it has been highlighted by Reddit person Mayors_Son, who posted to the sport’s subreddit asking for the ranked mode to be locked behind reaching account degree 50. Currently, players solely must make it to degree 10 within the FPS recreation earlier than they’ll leap into ranked lobbies, which means that the barrier to entry may be very low, which makes smurfing extra tempting to players who’re annoyed with taking part in towards opponents matched to their precise talent degree.
Other responses counsel that ranked ought to require players to submit their cellphone quantity, which limits the variety of accounts you should use it on. Users level to free-to-play video games equivalent to Dota 2 that use this technique, which can also be anticipated to function in Overwatch 2 when it launches as a free-to-play title in October. Another choice is that employed by Counter-Strike: GO, which is out there without spending a dime to players however requires a purchase order in your account earlier than you might be allowed to compete in ranked play.
We’ve taken a take a look at new Apex Legends character Vantage forward of her launch on August 9, and her long-range potential and lovable bat companion have us very excited. We’ve additionally dug into the brand new Kings Canyon map replace for season 14 of the multiplayer recreation. If you aren’t positive who to play, try our Apex Legends characters information for full particulars on every of the out there legends.