Apex Legends has found itself caught in a whirlwind of controversy recently. Following a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm, last week saw players of the battle royale receive a new event in the form of Iron Crown Collection. The limited-time affair, which finally introduced a playlist dedicated solely to solo players, also marked an influx of new cosmetic items. A contentious issue at the best of times, Respawn and EA received a great deal of flak over the monetization methods for the new character and weapon skins on offer, prompting the former to revisit the means required to obtain them.
Had that brought an end to the dispute, Respawn would have saved itself from the PR nightmare that followed. Many players, still unsatisfied with the perceived inflated cost associated with purchasing cosmetics, continued to criticize the studio, prompting various members of the development team to respond in kind. The back and forth between player and creator ultimately led to a total meltdown of the Apex subreddit and left relations between the two in tatters.
And so we arrive at the present day. In light of the disastrous fallout, Respawn CEO Vince Zampella has attempted to mend broken bridges by issuing a statement to players on Twitter, which you can see below.
Zampella clearly acknowledges that several members of his staff overstepped the mark on Sunday’s exchange of words, outright apologizing to any involved who were offended. As far as blatant abuse and disgusting death threats are concerned, however, the CEO reaffirms that he’ll always stand behind his staff in such situations, as he should.
While the Reddit thread in question didn’t appear to reach such levels of vitriol, there’s no telling what those staff members involved in the spat were being sent via private messages. Given that Zampella felt compelled to address such instances, it’s not unlikely that some keyboard warrior devolved to such pettiness.
But alas, what’s done is done. With any luck, today’s development will help to ease rising tension levels and pave the way for more respectable dialogue concerning the future of Apex Legends. Fingers crossed.