Apex can reclaim its throne by getting rid of aim assist.

Apex has such a unique concept, but the strong aim assist completely simplifies close-range combat. It’s turned the Diamond rank　where most players are　into a downgraded version of PUBG. I came back after three years and felt that same 'almost great' potential, but I’m done. I'm jumping ship.

Diamond is where most players are????? What?

I would be interested to hear you describe what a typical close range engagement is like for you, and specifically how aim assist impacts it, and what you think it would be like without it. And what you think the game in general would be like for more average and casual players if they turned it off tomorrow.

I couldn't send it properly, so it turned into an image.　sorry about that:(

Furthermore, removing aim assist isn't necessarily all bad, even for casual players in Ranked. Right now, the Ranked population is heavily dominated by controller players, and removing aim assist would effectively nerf that entire player base. Having "weaker" enemies overall can actually be a benefit for casuals.

Also, Diamond3 is where most players sit, but once the split is halfway through, anything below Platinum becomes infested with smurfs. I only play on Asia servers, so I can't say for other regions, but there are many smurfs just playing for high-kill games. This is tied to the overall skill gap, we might actually see an improvement in the smurfing problem. Smurfing isn't technically against the TOS, but definitely not casuals-friendly.

While adding a new rank between Platinum and Diamond is an option, I don't think any update that matchmaking times longer is a good idea.

To be honest, the issue is more about the pro scene. The pro community isn't really in a position where they can speak out freely about aim assist situation. I'm actually speaking from experience-I used to play Apex pro under a different account for a while. This current account is just the one I used to hit Master solo.

Maybe I'm just chasing ghost, but I wanna go back to the "golden age" from S1 through S7, when the game was so good that no other FPS could even come close.

c0123456789​ I've played Apex on every platform and I can tell you that while the aim assist feels good in some cases, its not the difference between being bad and being good at the game. 

So my guess is that you are seeing players with strike packs, zens, xims, titans, and other cheating hardware, (which they will eventually get banned).

• Apex Legends™: Anti-Cheat Update | March 4, 2026

First off, read what I actually wrote,  I'm not really about whether a player is "good" or "bad".  I've hit Master rank solo using both MnK and controller. I agree that aim isn't the only thing that defines skill, but it's still a massive factor. If aim didn't matter, aim-bot cheaters wouldn't be a threat but we all know that's not case. Plz re-read my previous point.

Then explain ImperialHal's switch to controller. If aim assist doesn't matter, go beat his legacy on MnK after switching from controller. I'll wait.

I have the impression that more players are using controllers since Diamond than MnK. Why?

Why is everyone switching to controllers if it doesn't matter? Why do ALGS or Preds primarily play on controllers if it doesn't matter?

Gamers using a controller won't understand what you're writing. I've been through this before. Pointing out exceptions like Faide or Lemonhead is irrelevant. There will always be someone who is OUTSTANDING. The problem is that an average controller player wins fights against an average MnK player much more often.

Even Hakis recently brought up the topic. The controller is simply TOO enjoyable to play with for anyone to complain about the imbalance between controller and MnK. Nobody wants to separate controllers from MnK, and nobody wants to provide the option to disable crossplay. So many years, so many seasons have passed, and still no solutions have been found. Or maybe no one wants to look for them because it's simply not worth it? :)

All of which, imo, is an argument in favor of separate lobbies - not an argument for the removal of aim assist.

I see your point, but like I mentioned before, I'm not a fan of updates that could slow down matchmaking. This would've been perfect back from when the player base was longer.