Apex Legends Players Caught Piggy-Backing Will Face Temporary Ban

Apex Legends fans looking for a free ride to glorious victory might want to give their strategy a second thought. Having thoroughly reviewed feedback from legitimate players and game data, Respawn has opted to pursue the necessary steps in preventing the behaviour which, in the near future, could see freeloaders hit with temporary bans.

For those new to battle royales and the realm of competitive shooters, the act of piggy-backing, as the developer calls it, essentially involves players putting in next to no effort in contributing to their own team’s success, preferring instead to simply let their comrades do all the heavy lifting, so to speak. Such acts, as described in the studio’s weekly check-in thread with fans over on Reddit, can range from subtle to blatant, though regardless of each case’s severity, the message comes through loud and clear – piggy-backing is not acceptable.

Of course, this newfound approach to gameplay integrity inevitably raises questions of its own, not least in regards to a potential spike in unjust punishment. Accessible as they are, battle royales cater to a wide range of skill levels from casual to outright hardcore, so how does Respawn plan to ensure it’s not just handing out bans to players who lack the dexterity of their peers? As of now, no answer is available, but short of recording several matches without so much as picking up a weapon, firing a bullet or dealing damage, it’s unlikely you’ll be flagged for removal from Kings Canyon.

It’s worth noting, too, that these plans aren’t intended to hit the live game immediately but rather, to serve as a warning to those who perhaps have been guilty of account boosting or being carried in the past. Either way, Respawn surely has the figures it needs to definitively label a player as such, and only in extreme cases will permanent account termination be a possibility.

We’ll surely keep you informed as additional details emerge but until then, we’ll leave you with some more welcome news. As part of its recent earnings call, Apex Legends publisher EA spilt the beans on when to expect a reveal for Season 2. See here for all the details.