If a game is popular and there’s a way to cheat, people will find a way to do it. Teaming happens all the time as friends server hop and time their load-ins to end up in the same lobby. Together, under the guise that they’re on opposing teams, they find each other in a game and work to protect one another rather than try to take each other out. Through these teaming efforts, they give themselves an advantage against other players who have to fend for themselves against not one, but two opponents or teams.

The issue is especially prevalent in Apex Legends’ Shadowfall mode. The unique gameplay structure can mean that opposing players can turn to allies in a split second. Because the game requires the former opponents to start to coordinate with one another once there are only 10 legends left, it’s tempting for a player to find allies and fend off Shadow Legends as a group before the game mode officially switches.

There are a number of videos online of people teaming in Shadowfall, the solo mode-cum-escape game that takes place on the Kings Canyon night map.

Electronic Arts’ Terms and Conditions prohibit “Us[ing]… cheats” and “disrupting the normal flow of game play.” Most competitive gamers agree that teaming is a form of cheating. However, Shadowfall is problematic in that strategically, opposing Legends become teammates near the end of the round. As such, this gives players an incentive to form alliances early on so that they can protect one another long enough for the game to turn and for them both to get away. And, on the enemy side, the game’s Shadow Legends effectively act as a team from the moment they join the Shadow Squad.

To be fair, strategic advantages are also exactly why people team in public games or Ranked Mode. Even in a Ranked game, only one team can win, but others can still benefit from teaming by racking up kills and placement points. But Shadowfall is different in that there can be 11 players left, and if two decide to team, it means someone else — be it a Legend or a Shadow — can take down a third in another part of the map. It may even be likely that the person was positioned in a way that they would be unable to outlive a Shadow Legend attack anyway. The two living Legends can coordinate a plan to work together to escape. Some might even look at this as a form of a “trolley problem” dilemma: Does it make sense to change the direction of the game to sacrifice one person if it means more people will survive?

It goes without saying that cheating is bad and that players shouldn’t do it. However, because Shadowfall isn’t exactly a legitimate competitive mode, it’s a little bit easier to skirt this rule in the name of fun.

Shadowfall is designed to be difficult. Only 10 players out of 35 will make it to the point where they can possibly make it to the rescue ship. To even get to that point, they have to avoid not only other players but super powerful melees from Shadow Legends. And, it’s not easy to fight off a horde of Shadow Legends when going at it alone. Because of this, it doesn’t function exactly the same as a PvP battle royale mode where players have the option to select their Legends but are otherwise on even territory.

Players have had vastly different experiences with Shadowfall, ranging from players who claim they’ve experienced only Shadow Squad wins to easy Legend wins, which likely occur because so many players drop out after getting killed. And because of this imbalance, perhaps it’s not such a big deal if a strong player wants to work with a noob early on to help them get their first Shadowfall win as a Legend.

This brings up is something that some players have said since day one: Shadowfall should have been a team mode. It’s a mode made for messing around, trying new things and generally goofing off. It would be a pleasure to do so with friends.

In any case, it’s hard to be angry about teaming in a less-than-legitimate mode where players may have to go it alone against up to 25 overpowered zombies. The mode has spawned tons of funny video clips from streamers and creators who have found innovative ways to skirt zombie attacks, shared their biggest freak-out moments and shown the all-around possibilities that can come from this over-the-top mode.

So yes, Shadowfall incentivizes teaming. But perhaps this is a case in which bending the rules is warranted in the name of fun. If players can consider this a sandbox-style mode, then perhaps players can simply have a good time with it as they work to master the mode.

And, while it’s hard to say that players would accept teaming as the norm in public games or Ranked, this may be an opportunity for gamers to exercise their creativity in a way that supports the Shadowfall’s overall chaos.