Apex servers tick rate in 2026, has it improved?

Hey everyone,

This isn’t new information. We’ve known for years that Apex servers run at ~20 Hz—Respawn even explained this in their netcode deep dive (2021) and Youtube  Back in 2019, PCGamesN tested it and found the same. It’s been part of the conversation since the very beginning, even if it hasn’t been brought up much lately.

Fast forward to 2025: Apex has grown, adapted, and even moved its infrastructure to Amazon GameLift That was a fantastic step forward—better stability, global reach, smarter scaling. Honestly, it shows Respawn cares about the long-term health of the game, and as a player, I really appreciate it.

That’s why I can’t help but wonder: with all these great infrastructure changes, has the server tick rate changed too? I haven’t seen an official update or fresh data. If it’s still ~20 Hz, then it feels like Apex is lagging behind—because other large shooters are already doing more. Battlefield 2042 runs its 128-player matches at around ~45 Hz, and PUBG raised its 100-player servers to ~30 Hz after community feedback. Even Fortnite, aimed at a completely different audience, manages ~30 Hz for 100 players. Apex, with its competitive, skill-driven style and 60-player lobbies, deserves at least the same if not more.

But let’s be honest: we’ve all had those moments where you swear you hit every shot, yet the damage numbers just… don’t appear. Or when you peek a corner and it feels like the other player saw you a heartbeat earlier. These moments have almost become part of the Apex culture—funny when clipped for memes, but frustrating when it costs you a fight you know you should’ve won. There are different factors at play, like ping and netcode, but the low 20 Hz server tick rate makes these situations much more common than they should be.

Example: How server tick rate affects a player with 60–70 ms ping

(For reference, Valorant or CS2 run at 128 Hz—under the same conditions this would feel closer to ~39 ms.)

Even these “small” jumps from 20 → 30 or 45 Hz mean your shots are registered noticeably faster. In a game where fights are decided in fractions of a second, that difference matters.

And this isn’t about asking for Valorant-style 128 Hz servers. Those games are built for 5v5, small maps, and tight competitive play—it’s a very different structure than a 60-player battle royale spread across huge maps. We’re not greedy—we know Apex is a massive battle royale. But even moving from 20 Hz to 30 or 45 Hz would make every fight feel fairer. It’s the kind of change that could even be marketed: “Apex servers are faster than ever.” Imagine how good that would sound.

We play Apex because we love it. That’s why we’ve put up with these little frustrations for so long. But I really believe this community deserves better. Sometimes the smallest improvements make the biggest difference.

We love Apex because it’s special—and that’s exactly why we want it to be the best it can be. ❤️

Thanks for reading—and for keeping Apex alive all these years

Edit: For anyone curious, here’s a good breakdown video on the topic → YouTube link