Apex Legends is set to announce details about its second Season Pass at this year’s E3, and it is not an understatement that now is the time to correct the many shortfalls of its first attempt or face the possibility of fading into obscurity.
After an initial burst of popularity, a number of players dropped the game because of its history of slow support and because the first pass was lackluster, at best. Since the game is most comparable to Fortnite within the Battle Royal genre, it is safe to say that most players expected a Season Pass of the same quality. This might be asking a lot, as Fortnite has had time to both refine what they offer their players. Regardless of how you feel about the amount or quality of items given through a Season Pass, though, the reality is that players are being conditioned to expect a certain level of polish for the consumer dollar.
The first issues were present in the sheer volume of grinding that was needed to unlock tier after tier in an attempt to reach level 100. While players are often ready for the grind, they usually expect the cosmetic rewards to be worth their time, and this is where Apex Legends dropped the ball. A total of four skins are available in the pass, but they are rather bland, as are the rest of the rewards. Compare this to Fortnite and its recent inclusions of skins that evolve over time, and the differences in quality are clear.
Loot boxes are also available in the Season Pass, but this is another issue. As time goes on, consumer-savvy players seem to be rejecting the need to pray to the Gods of RNG in the hope of acquiring a cosmetic item that they may desire. This is something else that Fortnite does well, as selling skins in the item shop with no risk of obtaining something unwanted seems like a far better business model.
Finally, there is a total lack of challenges to complete in the Apex Legends’ Season Pass. This is a major issue that should be corrected. Otherwise, the entire grind of the Season Pass is based on playing the game over and over without any variance or unexpected twists. Some of the most enjoyable matches in Fortnite are caused by the restrictions of a weekly challenge, whereby a player suddenly needs to engage in a playstyle or with a weapon of which they may be unfamiliar.
Respawn Entertainment has an enormous opportunity here to capture the attention of fans by treating them to an incredible second season. It already offered us a game that is in many ways a better option for professional players than Fortnite due to f how balanced it is and its slower pace of changes.
The second season of Apex Legends will be revealed during EA’s E3 showcase next month and will likely begin either late June or early July.
