Masters/Preds should NEVER be in a lobby with me. Fix it.
I've felt a little jaded about Apex recently for a number of reasons. Dropping on a Spitfire or Volt with only one ammo pack on it and dying 30 seconds into the match because I instantly run out of ammo. Running through multiple loot spots/opening multiple pills before finding my first weapon (because that pill had 3 white shields in it, "for hot swaps"). Octanes able to tac straight up my pooper without the slightest audio indication. The list goes on.
But today my friends wanted to play some ranked and I obliged. We ran into many of the issues stated above, but none was more offensive than the last game of the night. To clarify, we are currently silver/silver/bronze but we're all usually gold/plat. I basically finish every season I actually play in gold 1 or 2 and my lifetime KDR is about 0.5. POINT. FIVE. I have ONE 2K badge. Obviously I am not a good FPS player by any stretch. In fact I'm quite garbage, worst in my friend group by far, but I try to enjoy it nonetheless, try to relish the challenge, and maybe improve along the way. Although maybe if SBM existed my KDR wouldn't be so horrendous? But, I digress.
All of that to say, why on God's green Earth was our champion squad of the last game not one or two, but THREE Masters players?! I have NO BUSINESS being in the same lobby as these people for ANY REASON, ESPECIALLY in Ranked. I haven't even begun to even approach earning the right to play with people this good. Either tie matchmaking directly to KDR or place these people higher every season, but preferably, do both. I don't care if it's the end of the second split and that's the worst time to play Apex because all the sweats come out. Take that argument and shove it. Us mere mortals like to get kills and have fun too. It shouldn't matter when I decide to play the game, I should have a fighting chance every time I log on, otherwise what's the point? My KDR is just as bad now as it was when I started. My movement and looting looks like I know what I'm doing, but I feel like any chances of improvement are completely stifled by lobbies like this one. It's not an opportunity to learn anymore, it's just an opportunity to practice stretching out to the far corners of the map over and over to delay the seemingly inevitable death to come, which is not exactly enthralling gameplay.
This issue affects the longevity of this game we all love or try to love. Every new player coming in runs the risk from day one of getting absolutely steamrolled by Predators and Masters (or low level accounts that suspiciously aim like TSM ImperialHal somehow), because matchmaking (and anti-cheat) literally does not exist here. It's not a fun experience when you're still trying to learn and grow as a player and you get absolutely obliterated by a squad that could hold their own against people who play this game professionally. Trust me, every single person in my group, and I'm sure many others, would much rather sit in a lobby a little bit longer and have a competitive game every match than get steamrolled by a full squad of people who could each 1v3 our group without breaking a sweat for what feels like 90% of the night. Every night. For 3 years.
This all comes from a place of love for this game and the percent of its community like me who just want a fair fight. If Apex can sometimes feel borderline unplayable for someone with 1100 hours into it, just try to imagine how unapproachable it is to the actual bronze players out there? Overwatch 2, PUBG, Super People...they all look more appealing by the death.
Please do something before it's too late.
