Making console players and PC players cross-play by default would be foolish
Recently, while browsing news, I came across a "rumor" that Respawn will be upgrading the engine for APEX Legends by the end of the year and will merge next-gen console players and PC players into the same matchmaking pool. This is completely unacceptable. I hope this decision will not be implemented. Now, I will discuss why it is detrimental from multiple perspectives.
1 From the perspective of PC players, we all know that aim assist on consoles is higher compared to PC. This is because the current gameplay experience on consoles falls short in terms of frame rate and input lag compared to PC. However, if a default cross-play approach is taken, it will inevitably disrupt the gaming experience for some PC players due to the high aim assist provided on consoles. Lowering the aim assist on consoles directly would also be unfair to console players.
2 From the perspective of console players, this is highly unfriendly. Cross-play with PC will inevitably lead to a drastic deterioration of the gaming environment on consoles. Anti-cheat systems will always lag behind various forms of cheating, resulting in unnecessary suffering for console players who previously had no concerns about the gaming environment. Moreover, console support for keyboard and mouse is inferior to PC, and very few people would be willing to give up using controllers on consoles. Overall, this would put console players at various disadvantages in terms of graphics, controls, and the overall gaming environment. It is highly unfriendly to console players.
3 From the perspective of other games, such as Battlefield 2042, it was highly foolish to match PC players and next-gen console players together from the beginning. Leaving aside the initial performance of Battlefield 2042, this will inevitably lead to more player conflicts and indirectly result in a decline in the player base among console players after the game's release. It has been proven that a default cross-play approach is not conducive to maintaining player engagement unless the game itself is very casual and relaxed, which is clearly not the case for APEX and Battlefield 2042.
4 From the perspective of maintaining the current state, the cross-platform mode in APEX Legends is already perfect. It allows players from all platforms to team up and play with each other. If a squad consists only of console players, they enter the console matchmaking pool, while squads with PC players enter the PC matchmaking pool. This has been a reasonable and appropriate matchmaking method for APEX Legends, as demonstrated by its long-term operation. There is no need for any changes. Forcing next-gen console players into the PC matchmaking pool just because of performance issues on old-gen consoles would be counterproductive. It should be noted that this is an irresponsible optimization approach. A more reasonable approach would be to provide an additional cross-platform option for previous-gen console players, allowing them to choose whether to remain in the existing console matchmaking pool or join the new "old-gen console" matchmaking pool. In any case, next-gen console players should not be burdened with unnecessary troubles. They have already spent extra money to enhance their APEX gaming experience, and they are not here to spend money and undermine their own experience, especially considering that old-gen players will eventually transition to the next-gen consoles as well.
In conclusion, forcefully merging next-gen console players with PC players by default due to an engine upgrade is unreasonable. Although it is possible to choose to disable cross-platform play, it would be a step backward. Cross-play itself is definitely beneficial for the continued development of the game. The problem lies in an unreasonable cross-platform gameplay mechanism. I don't know if anyone or the CMs will see my words, and I don't know what measures they will ultimately take. I hope Respawn can actively listen to the feedback from the player community, especially before implementing major changes, and engage in extensive communication with the player community. Overall, I still appreciate the hardworking employees at Respawn Studio and hope APEX Legends continues to improve.
